Wn^ 


^^^ 


^x 


^mm 


^  0 


/" 


TUFTS   UNIVERSITY    LIBRARIES 


3  9090  014  532  903 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 
Cummings  Sciioo!  of  Veterinary  iVledicine  at 


Tufts  University 


r\r\n  i  A/^^-l-U. 


D/-«nrl 


ttfie  Kutal  Science  ^ttit^ 

Edited  by  L.  H.  Bailey 


THE   DISEASES   OF  ANIMALS 


■"rt^)<!j?^ 


■J  ^^  ° 


THE 

DISEASES  OF  ANIMALS 


A   BOOK   OF 

BRIEF   AND    POPULAR   ADVICE    ON    THE 

CARE  AND  THE  COMMON  AILMENTS 

OF   FARM   ANIMALS 


BY 
NELSON  S.  MAYO,  M.S.,  D.V.S. 

Professor  of  Veterinary  Science  in  the  Kansas  State  Agricultural  College 
and  the  State  Veterinarian  of  Kapsas 


SECOND  EDITION 


J^etD  gorfe 
THE   MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

LONDON:   MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  Ltd. 

1906 

All  rights  reserved 


M41 


COPVRIOHT,    1903 

By   the    MACMILLAN    COMPANY 


Set  up  and  elect  retyped  November,  1903 
Reprinted  February,  1905 


Aount  piraBant  ^rrss 

J.Horace  McFarland  Company 
Harrisburg,  PeansyWaoia 


PREFACE 

The  proper  care  of  animals  is  more  than  supply- 
ing* their  physical  needs  and  comforts.  Animals  are 
subject  to  ills  and  accidents.  It  is  the  part  of  every 
farmer  to  know  how  to  care  for  the  simpler  diffi- 
culties, and  when  to  call  for  advice  from  the  vete- 
rinarian. The  animal  industry  is  rapidly  increasing 
in  extent  and  importance.  The  day  of  the  skilled 
veterinarian  is  coming;  but  his  profession  must  rest 
on  a  quickened  public  knowledge  of  the  diseases 
and  accidents  to  which  animals  are  subject.  The 
greater  the  knowledge  of  these  subjects  on  the  part 
of  the  man  who  raises  animals,  the  keener  is  his 
interest  in  these  and  all  related  matters,  and  the 
more  frequent  will  be  his  demands  on  the  veteri- 
narian. The  day  of  the  "horse-doctor  book"  is  pass- 
ing. Prevention,  sanitation,  careful  handling  are  more 
important  than  mere  medication.  We  are  coming  to 
a  rational  treatment  of  disease  in  animals,  as  we  are 
of  disease  in  man.  Now  that  the  farmer  is  giving 
so  much  attention  to  feeding  and  breeding,  he  should 
also  give  additional  thought  to  the  extra  difficulties 
and  ailments  that  overtake   his   flocks. 

(v) 


vi  Preface 

This  little  volume  is  based  on  an  experience  of 
some  twelve  years  in  Michigan,  Connecticut  and  Kansas, 
as  a  practitioner,  as  a  teacher  of  veterinary  science 
to  students  in  agricultural  colleges,  and  as  a  lec- 
turer before  farmers'  institutes.  It  has  been  the  aim 
to  give  concise,  practical  directions  that  can  be  used 
by  those  who  have  to  do  with  the  care  of  animals. 
Special  attention  has  been  given  to  the  use  of  domes- 
tic and  simple  remedies.  Complicated  medicinal  treat- 
ment has  been  omitted,  as  not  being  practicable  in 
ordinary  hands.  For  the  same  reason,  rare  and 
unusual  diseases  are  omitted  because  of  the  danger 
of  confusion. 

The  writer  will  be  glad  to  receive  suggestions 
from  those  into  whose  hands  this  book  may  fall,  as  to 
measures  thnt  will  make  it  more  useful  and  practical. 

Manhattan,  Kansas,  NELSON    S.    MAYO 

October  1,  1903 

NOTE    TO    THE    SECOND    EDITION 

This  book  was  first  issued  under  the  title,  "Care  of 

Animals."    The   name   is    now  changed   in    order   that 

the   contents    of   the   book   may   be    better    expressed. 

There  is  no  change  in  the  text. 

ITHACA,  N.  Y.,  L.   H   BAILEY. 

March  31,  1906 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER    I 

PAGES 

General  Advice 1-16 

Ftedmg  and  Watering 3 

Exercise 11 

Protecting  the  Animals 12 

Give  the  Animal  Your  Personal  Attention 13 

CHAPTER    n 

The  Care  of  Aximals  in  Stables  and  Yards 17-29 

Horse  Stalls 18 

Cow  Stables 19 

The  Grooming  of  Horses 21 

The  Clipping  of  Horses      23 

The  Care  of  the  Feet 24 

Bedding 25 

Care  of  Swine 26 

Yards  and  Corrals 28 

Quarantine      28 

CHAPTER   HI 

The  Care  of  Pets 30-49 

Dogs 31 

The  Breaking  of  Dogs  for  Farm  Purposes        35 

Cats 36 

Rabbits  and  Hares 43 

Cavies,  or  Guinea  Pigs 46 

Pet  Poultry 46 

(vii) 


viii  Contents 


CHAPTER    IV 

PAGES 

The  Horse— Judging  and  Handling 51-87 

Age 51 

The  Teeth  of  tue  Horse 52 

Contrasts  with  Cattle 57 

Color  of  Horses 58 

Style 59 

Points  in  Horses 59 

Unsoundness  in  Horses 62 

Warranty 63 

Examination  of  Horses  in  Stable 64 

Examining  Out  of  Doors       65 

Fitting  Horses  for  Market 71 

Shipping  Horses 72 

"Green"    Horses 74 

Training  and  Hitching  Up  Horses 75 

Breaking    Colts 78 

Wild  or  Vicious  Horses    . 82 

Balky  Horses : 83 

Rearing,  or  "Raring" •  .  85 

Halter-pulling 85 

Pulling  on  the  Bit 86 

Runaway  Horses 86 

CHAPTER    V 

The  Horse — Lameness  and  Shoeing 88-107 

Diagnosing  Lameness 89 

Sweeney,  Shoulder  Lameness 91 

Larainitis,  or  Founder 93 

Coffin-joint  Lameness 95 

Cc-ns 97 


Contents  ix 

The  Horse— Lameness  and  Shoeing— Continued  pages 

Quittor  99 

Punctured  Wounds  of  the  Foot 100 

Thrush         100 

Cracked   Hoofs 101 

Shoeing  103 

Fitting  the  Shoe 105 


CHAPTER   VI 

Indications  of  Disease  in  Animals 108-120 

Pulse        110 

Temperature      112 

Respiration 113 

The  Mucous   Membrane 114 

Excretions       114 

General  Appearance       115 

Post-mortem  Examination 117 


CHAPTER   VII 

Treating  Sick  Animals 121-155 

Box  Stalls  for  Sick  Animals 122 

Blankets,   Bandages,    Slings 124 

Food  for  Sick  Animals 127 

Giving  Medicine 128 

Enemas       136 

Doses  of  Medicine 137 

Counter  Irritants 138 

Fomentations 142 

The   Soaking  Tub 144 

ConfiDing   or  Restraining  Animals 144 


X  Contents 

Treating  Sick  Animals — Continued  pages 

Anesthetics 149 

Disinfection 150 

Antiseptics 151 

CHAPTER    VIII 

Surgical   Cases 156-191 

Inflammation 156 

Wounds 158 

Treatment  of  Wounds 159 

Diseases  and  Abnormal  Growths        165 

Abscesses 166 

Fistulae 168 

Poll  -  evil 168 

Fistulous  Withers 170 

Cancer 171 

Tumors  ....  171 

Shoe -boil  —  Capped  Elbow 172 

Capped  Hock  174 

Synovial  Capped  Hock      174 

Open  Joint 174 

Capped  Knees 176 

Wry  Tail 176 

Switching  the  Tail 177 

Hernia  177 

Scrotal  Hernia 179 

Customary    Surgical  Practices 179 

Dehorning      179 

Docking  Horses 181 

Docking  Lambs 181 

Castrating 181 

Caponizing 187 

Spaying 188 


Contents  xi 

CHAPTER    IX 

PAGES 

Breeding,  and  Veterinary  Obstetrics 192-216 

Sterility  194 

Signs  of   Pregnancy 198 

Signs  of  Parturition,   or  Approaching  Birth 200 

Oystokia  202 

Removing  tlie  Placenta 206 

Eversion  of  the  Uterus         207 

Altered  Milk  Secretions 209 

Matnmitis       210 

Milk  Fever 212 

Caring  for  the  Young,  and  Weaning        215 

Pyemia,  or  Blood-poisoning,  in  Colts 216 

CHAPTER    X 

Diseases  and  Injuries  of  the  Bones,  Limbs  and  Joints  .  217-243 

Fractures  217 

Fractuie  of  Hip  Bone 223 

Ulceration  of  Bone 223 

"Side-bones"        224 

Softening  of  Bones 224 

Brittle  Bones 225 

Cartilage  Turning  to  Bone       225 

Osteoporosis  226 

Bony  Enlargements 226 

Bone   Spavin 227 

Ring-bone      231 

Big-knee  and  Other  Enlargements 233 

Splint  233 

Dislocat  on  of  Bones      234 

Knuckling  235 

Stifle  235 

Dislocation  of  the  Neck 237 


xii  Contents ' 

Diseases  and  Injuries  of  the  Bones,  Limbs  and  Joints  — 

Continued  pages 

Sprains  238 

Bog- spavin 238 

Wind-puffs 239 

Thorough -pin 240 

Curb  .    .        241 

Knee -sprung 242 

Breaking-down  242 

Ruptured  Tendons 243 

CHAPTER    XI 

Diseases  of  the  Alimentary  Tract  and  of  the  Digestive 

Function       244-277 

Sore  Mouth  246 

Infectious  Sore  Mouth  of  Cattle 246 

Diseased  and  Abnormal  Teeth 248 

Wolf-teeth  251 

Cribbing : 251 

Parotiditis      252 

Salivary  Calculus 253 

Salivation,  or  Slobbering      253 

Sore  Throat       254 

Choking  255 

Stomach  Sfnggers 258 

Impaction  of  the  Rumen  259 

Iloven,  or  Bloating  in  Cattle      260 

Gorging  with  Grain 263 

Indigestion  in  Horses 264 

Colic  in  Horses 266 

Obstruction  of  the  Bowels  in  Horses 269 

Concretions,  Calculi,  Hair-halls,  etc 270 

Intussesception,  or  Invagination  of  the  Bowel  ...*...  271 


Contents  xiii 

Diseases  of  the  Alimentary  Tract  and  of  the  Digestive 

Function  —  Continued  pages 

Volvulus,  Twisting  of  the  Bowel,  "Gut-tie" 271 

Inflammation  of  the  Bowels,  or  Enteritis 271 

Diarrhea,  Scouring      273 

Constipation 275 

White  Scour 276 

Crop-bound  Fowls       276 

CHAPTER    XII 

Diseases  Affecting  the  Respiratory  System 278-289 

Acute  Catarrh       278 

Chronic  Catarrh 279 

Bronchitis 280 

Congestion  of  the  Lungs      282 

Pneumonia,  Inflammation  of  the  Lungs,  Lung  Fever    .    .  283 

Infectious  Pneumonia 286 

Contagious  Pleuro-pneumonia 286 

Pulmonary  Emphysema,  Heaves,  or  Broken-wind  ....  287 
Roaring,  or  Whistling 288 

CHAPTER    XIII 

Diseases  Affecting  the  Brain  and  Nervous  System   .  290-298 

Hydrocephalus 290 

Dummies 291 

Tetanus,  or  Lock-jaw 291 

Stringhalt,  Chorea 294 

Fits,  Epilepsy 296 

Sunstroke,  Heat  Exhaustion 297 

Apoplexy 297 

Paralysis 298 


xiv  Contents 

CHAPTER    XIV 

PAOKS 

Diseases  Affecting  the  Skin  and  Eye 299-311 

Hidebound :      299 

Eczema,  Inflammation  of  the  Skin 300 

Mud  Fever 301 

Scratches,  Grease-heel 301 

Fouls  in  Cattle 303 

Tumors  of  the  Skin 304 

Melanotic  Tumors       305 

Cancers  305 

Rubbing  the  Mane      306 

Rubbing  the  Tail 306 

Erysipelas 306 

Diseases  of  the  Eye 307 

Eatropium 308 

Simple  Ophthalmia  308 

Periodic  Ophthalmia,  Moon  Blindness     .        309 

Catarrh  1  Conjunctivitis,  Pink-eye 310 

Worm  in  the  Eye  311 

CHAPTER    XV 

Parasites 312-353 

Ringworm       313 

Lice  314 

Fleas 318 

Scab  of  Sheep  and  Cattle 318 

Mange      326 

Flies 327 

Maggots      328 

Screw -fly 329 

Horn-fly  330 

Bots  in  Horses , 361 


Contents 


XV 


Parasites  —  Continued  pagks 

Bots  in  Cattle 333 

Sheep  Bot-fly,  Grub  in  the  Head 334 

Ticks        336 

Gid,  or  Staggers  in  Sheep 340 

Intestinal  Worms  341 

Stomach  Worm  of  Sheep 346 

Lung  Worm       .    .  348 

Gapes  in  Fowls 350 

Measles  in  Meat      351 

Trichinae  in  Meat 352 

CHAPTER   XVI 

Contagious  and  Infectious  Diseases 354-399 

Glanders  and  Farcy 356 

Anthrax,  Charbon 360 

Blackleg 362 

Directions  for  Using  Blackleg  Virus 364 

Rabies,   Hydrophobia 367 

Texas,  or  Southern  Cattle  Fever 370 

Contagious  Abortion 374 

Foot  and  Mouth  Disease 376 

Tuberculosis 378 

The  Tuberculin  Test 382 

Cowpox 385 

Dog  Distemper 386 

Hog  Cholera  and  Swine  Plague 388 

Fowl  Cholera 395 

Blackhead  397 

Roup        , 397 


xvi  Contents 


CHAPTER    XVII 

PAGES 

Miscellaneous  Diseases ....  399-427 

Azoturia 399 

Retention  of  Urine 401 

Stone  in  the  Bladder 402 

Foul  Sheath       403 

Paralysis  of  the  Penis 404 

Frequent  Urinating  in  Mares 404 

Dropsy         ...  405 

"Big-leg,"  Lymphangitis  ....        406 

Loco  Disease  407 

Cornstalk  Disease 410 

Big-jaw,  or  Actinomycosis  of  Cattle 412 

Rheumatism       415 

"Thumps"  in  Pigs 416 

Poisoning  of  Animals 417 

Poisonous  Foods      421 

Moldy  Corn  .... 422 

Moldy  Silage         424 

Moldy  Oats,  Hay  and  Fornge c 425 

Injury  from  Cotton -seed  Meal 425 

Dirty  Hay  .  .  426 

Lead  Poisoning  in  Cattle     ...        i26 

Other  Poisons 427-448 

CHAPTER    XVIII 

Recipes  and  Brief  Advice 428-440 

Doses  of  Medicine 428 

Common  Prescriptions 437 

Brief  Advice  on  the  Commoner  Diseases 440 

Index , 449 


THE    CARE    OF  ANIMALS 


CHAPTER   I 
GENERAL  ADVICE 

Domestic  animals  are  kept  under  conditions  that 
are  more  or  less  artificial, — conditions  created  by  man 
and  largely  under  his  control.  These  conditions  may 
be  conducive  to  the  good  health  and  utility  of  ani- 
mals, or  if  neglected  or  improperly  attended  to  they 
may  prove  injurious;  and  they  are  frequently  the 
active  agents  in  the  production  of  disease. 

Wherever  animals  are  gathered  in  large  numbers 
there  is  an  increased  tendency  toward  contagious  and 
infectious  diseases,  and  extra  precautions  must  be 
taken.  It  has  been  stated  by  some  writers  that  the 
function  or  economy  of  disease -producing  germs  is  to 
prevent  an  undue  population  of  the  earth.  The  fact 
that  contagious  diseases  are  most  prevalent  where 
numbers  of  animals  are  gathered,  where  hygienic  and 
sanitary  rules  are  not  enforced,  and  where  ignorance 
prevails,  tends,  at  least,  to  enforce  this  conclusion,  and 
to  show  that,  in  the   main,  "the   fittest  survive." 

In  the  care  of  domestic  animals,  the  old  adage  that 
"a  stitch  in  time  saves  nine"  is  applicable,  for  it  is 
much  easier  and  more  economical  to  prevent  diseases 

A  (1) 


2  The    Care   of  Animals 

than  to  cure  them.  A  man  who  understands  the 
wants  and  needs  of  domestic  animals,  and  who  uses 
good  judgment  and  care  in  dealing  with  them,  is 
amply  repaid  in  the  profits  and  satisfaction  returned. 

One  of    the   first   essentials   to    the    successful   care 
and  handling  of  stock  is  suitable  quarters.     The  quar- 


Fig.  2.    The  old-time  bam  and  yard,  in  which  shelter  is  inadequate  and  much 
of  the  manure  is  wasted 

ters  should  protect  from  the  inclemencies  of  weather, 
both  in  winter  and  summer.  They  should  be  light, 
dry  and  well  ventilated.  Dark,  damp  and  poorly 
ventilated  stables  are  hotbeds  of  disease.  Light  and 
an  abundance  of  fresh  air  are  essential  to  the  main- 
tenance of  health;  and  these  can  be  so  cheaply  sup- 
plied that  no  excuse  can  be  offered  for  the  lack  of  them. 


The    Stables  3 

Cleanliness  is  another  very  important  factor,  for  the 
excrements  of  the  animal  body  are  not  only  injurious 
themselves,  but  they  afford  a  breeding- place  for  bac- 
teria, and  in  the  processes  of  decomposition  give  off 
noxious  gases.  The  common  practice  of  stabling  ani- 
mals over  manure -pits  is  not  beneficial  to  the  health 
of  animals,  however  convenient  it  may  be.  Modern 
veterinary  hygiene,  both  in  theory  and  practice,  fol- 
lows human  hygiene  very  closely.  In  cases  of  doubt 
as  regards  hygienic  or  sanitary  conditions,  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  put  yourself  in  the  animal's  place.  Fig.  2, 
while  interesting  as  a  picture,  shows  some  of  the  con- 
ditions to  avoid. 

The  temperature  of  stables  and  barns  is  an  important 
matter.  Many  modern  stables  are  too  warm;  the  old- 
time  ones  are  likely  to  be  too  cold.  Too  high  tempera- 
ture produces  lassitude,  reduces  appetite  and  tends  to 
breed  germs.  Too  low  temperature  prevents  the  animal 
from  making  strong  and  continuous  growth;  the  food 
energy  that  would  otherwise  go  to  the  building  up  of 
the  body  is  consumed  in  merely  keeping  warm.  As 
a  rule,  a  temperature  of  45°  to  50°  is  best  for  most 
animals  in  winter. 

FEEDING    AND     WATERING 

More  animals  are  injured  by  overfeeding  than  by 
underfeeding.  It  is  mistaken  kindness  to  feed  ani- 
mals merely  because  they  will  eat.  Under  ordinary 
conditions,  animals  should  be  given  only  sufficient 
food    to   keep   them    in    fairly    good    flesh.-      Animals 


4  The    Care    of  Animals 

that  are  fat  are  susceptible  to  disease,  do  not  breed 
readily,  do  not  endure  well  in  parturition,  nor  per- 
form ordinary  labor  easily.  It  is  a  somewhat  common 
practice,  when  severe  exertion  is  required  of  a  horse, 
either  at  draft  or  on  the  road,  to  give  him  an  extra 
heavy  feed.  Such  practice  is  injurious  to  the  animal, 
as  he  cannot  do  his  best  work  when  the  digestive 
system  is  overloaded  with  food  and  thus  taxed  to  its 
utmost  capacity.  Animals  of  which  hard  work  is  ex- 
pected should  be  fed  sparingly.  Of  course,  horses 
or  other  animals  that  are  continuously  at  hard  labor 
should  be  given  food  enough  to  keep  them  in  good 
physical   condition. 

When  warm,  and  especially  when  tired,  an  animal 
should  be  allowed  to  rest  before  receiving  its  usual 
food.  The  overtaxing  of  organs  already  tired  tends 
to  bring  on  diseases  of  the  digestive  system.  It  is 
usually  a  good  plan  to  water  the  animal  sparingly  at 
first  and  give  a  light  feed  of  hay  ;  then,  when  it  is 
cool  and  rested,  to  give  what  water  is  desired  and 
the  customary  feed  of  grain.  Rubbing  an  animal 
with  a  brush,  cloth,  or  wisp  of  straw  is  an  excellent 
method  of  resting  and  soothing  it  when  it  is  tired 
and   nervous. 

When  animals  are  fed  out  of  doors  or  in  pens  it 
is  best  to  have  them  divided  into  small  groups,  or  to 
have  individual  places  for  feeding  each  animal.  The 
food  should  be  so  distributed  that  each  animal  has 
opportunity  to  get  its  fair  share.  When  this  is  not 
done  the  strong  and  aggressive  animals  are  likely 
to  keep   the  weaker  ones  from   getting  their  share  of 


How   to   Feed  5 

the  food,  while  they  themselves  may  eat  more  than  is 
good  for  them.  The  same  general  principles  hold 
in  watering  animals  ;  every  opportunity  should  be 
given  for  the  weaker  ones  to  get  sufficient  water ; 
otherwise  the  "bosses,"  after  obtaining  what  water 
They  wish,  will  often  keep  other  animals  away.  Ex- 
perience has  demonstrated  that,  in  feeding  calves  or 
similar  animals,  they  do  much  better  when  each  is 
kept  ill  a  stall  or  stanchion  by  itself,  at  least  during 
the  feeding  period.  Calves  herding  together  frequently 
suck  one  another's  ears  or  other  parts  of  the  body  to 
such   an  extent   that  it  interferes  with   their  growth. 

In  feeding  young  animals,  cleanliness  is  of  the 
greatest  importance,  especially  for  those  that  are  fed 
milk  or  similar  foods,  which  soon  decompose.  Not 
only  should  the  food  be  sweet  and  pure,  but  the 
pails,  troughs  and  other  utensils  should  be  kept  scru- 
pulously clean.  All  food  that  the  animal  does  not 
consume  should  be  removed,  and  not  allowed  to  de- 
compose. The  food  for  young  animals  is  often  fed 
in  a  too  concentrated  form.  Much  better  results 
can  be  secured  by  diluting  the  food  and  feeding 
more    frequently. 

For  horses  at  ordinary  work,  oats  and  bright 
timothy  hay  constitute  an  excellent  diet.  When 
horses  are  at  hard  labor,  an  addition  of  cornmeal  is 
excellent  to  make  up  for  the  increased  waste.  For 
such  horses,  and  for  old  animals  whose  teeth  are 
not  in  good  condition,  better  results  are  secured  if 
the  corn  and  oats  are   ground    together. 

Animals  should  be  fed  regularly,  and  then  watered 


6  The    Care   of  Anwials 

before  receiving  grain.  Bulky  food,  or  that  con- 
taining a  large  amount  of  indigestible  substance, 
should  be  fed  to  horses  sparingly.  Cattle  and  sheep 
are  not  so  easily  injured  b\'  it,  since  they  have  greater 
digestive  capacity.  Musty  or  dustj^  hay  fed  to  horses 
is  likely  to  produce  indigestion  or  heaves  ;  and  it  is 
often  a  source  of  much  trouble  to  other  animals. 
Moldy  and  wormy  food  is  often  the  cause  of  a 
serious  brain  disease  among  horses  and  mules  ;  and 
moldy  ensilage  sometimes  poisons  cattle. 

Grasses  or  grain  often  contain  ergot,  a  parasitic 
fungus,  which  shows  itself  among  the  healthy  grains 
as  long  black  kernels.  This  fungus  most  frequently 
attacks  rye  and  related  wild  grains.  The  feeding  of 
this  "spurred  rye"  to  animals  is  likely  to  produce  in 
them  a  disease  called  ergotism.  In  this  disease  the 
blood-vessels  of  the  extremities  contract  to  such  an 
extent  that  the  feet  of  the  afflicted  animals  frequently 
slough  off,  and  sometimes,  also,  the  tails.  Corn -smut, 
so  far  as  known,  does  not  cause  disease.  If  fed  in 
large  quantities,  however,  it  is  likely  to  produce  indi- 
gestion. 

Underfeeding  is  a  result  of  insufficient  food,  or 
of  food  that  is  not  sufficiently  nutritious  and  diges- 
tible. As  a  result  of  underfeeding,  animals  fall  away 
iu  flesh,  become  "hidebound,"  and  the  coat  takes  on 
a  harsh  and  lusterless  appearance,  which  is  caused  by 
the  absorption  of  fat  from  beneath  the  skin.  A  sim- 
ilar appearance  may  also  be  produced  by  disease.  In 
bringing  underfed  animals  back  into  condition,  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  overfeed.     It  is  best  to  increase 


Violent   Changes  in   Food 


Fig.  3.     Salting  the  sheep 

the  rations  very  gradually,  so  that  the  digestive  system 
may  adapt  itself   to  the   change. 

Sudden  and  violent  changes  of  food  are  always  to  be 
avoided  if  possible.  When  it  is  necessary  to  change 
the  food,  this  should  be  done  gradually,  and  the  new 
food  should  not  be  taken  on  an  empty  stomach.  If 
a  horse  is  to  be  turned  out  to  pasture,  it  is  better  that 
he  have  a  feed  of  hay  and  grain  before  being  let  out, 


8  The    Care   of  Animals 

as  then  he  is  less  likely  to  gorge  himself  on  the  new 
diet.  Fresh  grass  usually  acts  very  beneficially  on 
an  animal,  improving  the  tone  of  the  whole  system. 
A  variety  of  foods  generally  gives  the  best  results. 
Animals  at  severe  work  rarely  keep  up  in  flesh  if  fed 
chiefly  on  green  succulent  food.  Palatability  of  food, — 
that  is,   agreeable  taste, — is  also  verj^  important. 

Common. salt  is  essential  to  practically  all  domestic 
animals,  and  it  should  be  given  to  them  frequently. 
If  animals  are  allowed  free  access  to  salt  they  eat 
only  what  nature  requires  ;  but  to  animals  not  ac- 
customed to  it,  salt  must  be  supplied  very  gradually, 
or  they  will  eat  too  much  at  first  and  are  likely  to 
be  overtaken  by  indigestion  or  even  death.  Sheep 
are  sometimes  poisoned  by  eating  too  much  salt  when 
they  are  not  accustomed  to  it.  Fine  or  rock  salt  may 
be  used.  Every  good  farmer  knows  that  he  must  salt 
his  sheep  often  (Fig.   3).. 

"Bolting"  the  food,  or  gulping  it  rapidly  and 
without  sufficient  mastication,  is  alwa3-s  injurious  to 
animals.  Some  horses  acquire  this  as  a  habit,  and  it  is 
hard  to  overcome.  One  of  the  best  methods  of  prevent- 
ing it  is  to  spread  the  grain  over  a  large  area,  as  on 
the  bottom  of  a  manger,  so  that  the  horse  cannot 
easily  obtain  large  mouthfuls.  There  are  iron  feed- 
boxes,  divided  into  small  compartments,  that  accom- 
plish the  same  results.  Smooth  round  stones,  the 
size  of  a  man's  fist,  can  be  placed  in  the  ordinary 
feed -box,  so  that  the  horse  is  required  to  nose  them 
over  in  order  to  get  the  grain.  Animals  that  bolt 
their  food  should  be   given  ground   feed. 


Value    of  Exercise 


11 


EXERCISE 


Exercise  is  important  in  maintaining  the  general 
health  and  vigor  of  animals.  The  practice  of  keep- 
ing milch  cows  closely  confined  the  year  ronnd, 
while     conducive     to     an     increased     milk  -  flow,     also 


Fig.  G 


V   Kood   Vurk- 


tends  to  weaken  the  animals'  constitutions,  and  pre- 
dispose them  to  •  disease,  especially  to  tuberculosis. 
Exercise  is  necessary  to  keep  the  muscles,  digestive 
system,  skin  and  other  organs  of  the  body  in  a 
healthy  condition.  But  animals  that  are  being  fattened 
for  the  market  should  have  very  little  exercise,  as  ex- 
ertion  consumes    some    of    the    food    that    should    go 


12 


The    Care   of  AnimaU 


Fig.  7.    Young  Galloway  bulls- 

toward  the  making"  of  fat.  Cow  barns  sliould  be 
provided  with  ample  yards,  placed  in  such  position 
that  they  are  well  protected  from  winds  (Fig.  4).  In 
severe  weather,  cows  should  be  exercised  under  cover, 
as  in   a  covered    barnyard. 

PROTECTING     THE     ANIMALS 


Animals  that  have  to  be  exposed  to  severe  weather 
should  be  protected  by  means  of  blankets,  especially 
when  allowed  to  stand  while  sweating  after  severe  ex- 
ertion. This  is  especially  true  of  horses  during  cold 
weather.  The  best  and  most  economical  horse -blankets 
are  the  large,  square,  all-wool  kinds.  They  should 
always  be  securely  fastened  on  by  means  of  straps  or 
large  blanket  pins.  During  the  summer,  horses  that 
are  subjected  to  severe  exertion,  which  causes  them 
to  sweat  freely,  can  be  protected  from  drafts  and  from 


The    Care-faJcer  13 

danger    of   taking    cold   b}'   light    thin    blankets,  com- 
monly known  as  "steaming  blankets." 

In  localities  where  flies  and  mosquitoes  abound, 
it  is  economy  to  protect  working  animals  against  them 
by  the  use  of  fly -nets;  as  the  irritation  of  the  animal, — 
to  say  nothing  of  the  driver, —  in  fighting  the  pests, 
will  be  a  serious  loss  of  energj^  and  nerve  force. 

GIVE     THE     AXI31AL    YOUR    PERSONAL    ATTENTION 

A  sleek,  well-fed,  contented -looking  animal  is  not 
often  the  result  of  accident.  It  is  the  product  of  good 
care.  The  successful  stockman  is  the  one  who  likes 
his  animals.  He  will  sacrifice  his  own  comfort  rather 
than    theirs.      He    will    not    stop    with    a    half   hour's 


Fig.  8.    Good  Galloway  cattle  at  pasture 


^me 


Fig.  10.     Jerseys  iu  ^ooJ  umk  eL-ndi 


Fig.  11.     Merinos  in  good  stock  condition 


16  The    Care    of  Animals 

grooming  of  his  horse  if  the  animal  needs  an  hour's. 
"What  do  you  give  your  horse  to  make  him  look  so 
fine  ?  "  the  traveler  asked  of  the  English  farm  lad. 
"Lot's  o'  rubbin',  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

The  best  of  food,  the  fanciest  stables,  the  most 
expensive  implements  and  equipments,  will  not  make 
up  for  the  lack  of  good  loving  care.  These  are  more 
than  medicine  or  breed.  Do  not  wait  until  your 
animal  runs  down  before  you  inquire  what  ails  him. 
It  is  better  not  to  let  him  run  down. 

Many  persons  do  not  know  what  a  good  animal  is, 
even  though  they  raise  animals  all  their  lives.  Sleek, 
plump,  close -haired,  clean,  docile,  contented, —  these 
are  some  of  the  words  that  we  apply  to  animals  that 
are  well  cared  for.  Scrawny,  rough,  restless,  wild, 
dirty, —  these  are  attributes  of  those  that  are  poorly 
cared  for.  The  accompanying  pictures  (Figs.  3-11) 
show  good  farm  animals.  Poor  farm  animals  are  so 
common  that  pictures  of  them  are  not  needed. 


CHAPTER    II 

THE   CARE   OF  ANIMALS  IN  STABLES  AND   YARDS 

Aside  from  the  necessity  of  stabling  animals  to 
protect  them  against  inclement  weather,  it  is  often 
desirable  to  confine  them  for  other  reasons.  Stabled 
animals  are  usually  more  gentle  to  handle,  and  their 
coats  are  improved  in  texture  and  appearance.  The 
following  brief  remarks  on  stabling,  however,  are  made 
from  the  veterinarian's  point  of  view. 

In  the  construction  of  stables,  strength,  simplicity 
and  plainness  should  be  emphasized.  Under  these  condi- 
tions, the  stables  may  be  easily  cleaned  and  disinfected. 

The  animals  should  stand,  if  possible,  with  their 
heads  toward  the  center  of  the  building.  This  arrange- 
ment of  stalls  provides  better  ventilation  and  also  better 
lighting,  as  the  light  should  be  admitted,  whenever 
possible,  from  behind  the  animals.  In  man  and  beast, 
sight  is  impaired  by  having  to  face  a  glare  of  light. 
With  the  larger  animals,  such  as  horses  and  cattle, 
it  is  best  to  confine  them  in  separate  stalls,  where  they 
can  not  get  their  heads  together.  There  should  be  a 
sufficiently  strong  partition  between  to  keep  them  from 
turning  crosswise  and  interfering  with  their  neighbors. 
Animals  that  are  not  properly  separated  often  fall  into 
the  habit  of  fighting  each  other.  The  feed -boxes 
should   be  so  arranged  that  each  animal   is  fed   sepa- 

B  (17) 


Ifi  Tht     Cm     of    Aiuninls 

I'mItIn,  mikI  in  pi'(*v<miI(mI  IVnin  im>iimmiiiiii|^^  miioI  Ii«m''m  lood. 

Sllcll      till      MI'I'MMHfOMKMll.      illHllITH      «Ul('ll       aillllinl       Jl       .".INCH 

niiioiiiil  mI'  I'ood,  nnd  il  IcihIm  Io  |>t'(<V(Mil  (lio  Hprctid 
«»r  (lMiif;tM(tiiM  mnlrliM'Ird  (ll^^".'l^.^^s,  JIM  I  iiltriciiNtsiH  Miii(»ii).;f 
<".'illl("  mimI  i-ylniMljM'M  niiKHi;.';  lini'H«<H.  Tlir  IVmil  ol'  Hip 
hIhIIn  hIioiiM  l•(^  ImiiII  111.  Iii}-';ln'i'  iimn  is  ihtchmmi'V  \o 
K<'i>p  lilt*  Miiiiii.'il  |»rtt|Mrl\  roiiMlHMJ  mihI  Io  \Ai\ro  lli(< 
I'oimI     Wlliilll     rr.'irli  Wlicil     lIlP    MIMIII.'ll     i^.    sl  tl  llil  I  li;'.'    lll(< 

rxpiiTil    nil'    will    |wi;.'i    (till    (>\(M-    I  lir    IVniil    nl'    Ins    shill. 

IIOUMK     STALLS 

Tlio  mI/p  nl'  ^<lalls  Inr  ln»r..r;i  iiinsl  drprinl  soiiirwIiMl 
nil  III*'  M/p  nl'  llir  niiiiniil  In  Im<  «-niiliii('(l .  I*\ti'  nnli 
li)li\\  linrsoM  lIlP  nImIIs  sliniiltl  l»r  nl  IdimI  Ihr  Irc^l  wide. 
Ilvo  nnd  n  li.'ill'  In  six  I'tM'l  i;.  hrllcr  'riirv  .slmuld  ho 
\\\\\o  Mild  Jl  iiiiir  I'tM'l  Inii"'.  I''nr  llnni-|ii;';.  luiid  wnnd 
Iwn  iiudi  phmivs,  wril  mnlclird.  mk*  i^xctdlt'id.  Sniiu*  Imid 
wnnd.M  Mi'o  Inn  slippoi'V,  ii(»\\('\(M'.  Mud  liciiilnck  lliMV  Ito 
MMcd,  Tlir  ll(»nr  nl'  llir,s|}|ll  sliniild  li.'ixr  n  v»M\V  ^tMllN' 
HJnpp  tnllit*  I'CMi',  lli(«  plaiiix  niiiiiiii}^'  l«>iif^'lli\visp  nl'  llu' 
mtidl.  Il  is  iiini'o  t'nn\  iMiKMil  In  liMVo  IIm*  llnnriii|';  «d'  IIm' 
pMHHUJifowMV  Ixdiiiid  I  lie  MiiiiiiMis  n[  \''\y*\\\  i\\\\.\\vh  In  I  lint 
nl'  llio  hImII,  ns  il  is  CMsirr  In  cIcmu,  'V\\v  pMflilinii 
Ht^pMi'Ml  inf-j  IliP  sImIIs  slumld  Im*  ,slinn|';iv  iimdr,  well 
H(>l  Mild  fUiinttllilv  ('(mIimI  nil  cMcli  sido.  Tlic  n-Mr  *d' 
(ho  pMI'lilioM  .MJinldd  he  will  fniindt>d,  'i'lio  IoimI  l>nx 
nnd  niMiaVM"  IIIMV  Im>  nl'  imu  ni'  liMI'd  wnnd;  il'  i*\'  I  ho 
hdlor.  Hh*  od^';os  sluuihl  he  puMorlod  wilh  sh'ips  t^f 
iron  s«*(Mirol,v  soiM>\vod  dnwn  In  proNciil  llio  Muim.'ds 
rrom  j;'uu\vinj,^  (h(*  wnnd. 


Ilorsr     flails    inul     Cmr     S/afh  11) 

I  loi'Hcm  ni'<i  Im<hI  ronlinrd  iii  mImIIm  I>v  tncMiiH  nl'  hIouI. 
IrntlMM*  Imll.ri'H,  wliirli  cfin  he  llrd  In  I  lie  i/iiliii^r  or  lo 
lUi.v  Hililnlilo   pliicr  on    llic    tiiMiij';<-r  or   i.iiir   of   luitlilion, 

Tlio  \'\(\  nliollld  Im'  i.rciltr  MImI  r.lioit  riioii|';|i  |o  |)|(<V('iit 
llir  pOHHihilily  ol'  M  lioifir  ^^^rllili^';  i\  Tool  o\cf  llir  luilirt' 
Mlillr.        All    r\('r||r|i(     tnrlliod     in    In    pnii:',    Mm    llllllrl'    f\||||n 

Mudii)-,''li  Ji  tope  or  rill!'.  *"'  <>\«'i'  n  piill«'_\  ,  niid  nlliicii 
«i  li^^lil.  vvoi|.;lil  lo  llHollirr  <ii<!,  IIiIh  Jilw/i.V'M  l<«M'pM  (llM 
rop<'  inilt  ciiolli'li  lo  pirvi'til  McrKlciilit  of  lliiil  lilillir«', 
III  M<»liM'  r/i!',ci;,  vvliciT  tiiiiiiiiii.'i  do  iiol  .".Iniid  uril  wlirli 
lii'd      l>y     III'-      iHtid,     llir\      CMII     Im'     I'otiriiird      III     lll(>     ttl/lll 

hy  11  cluiiii  I'liMhiird  ncrnHH  ludiiiid  lim  Miiiiiinl  ;  lliin 
i.H  nJMo  n  ^:<mmI  iiM-IJiod  of  prcvciil  ill)/  llir  iiiiiMiiii  IVoiti 
ImcUiii}/  Mild    l\iii|r   down    in    lln-    iniMHir*'. 

VVIkii  room  ((III  Im-  nn'ordi'd,  lio\  hIiHIh  nr«i  dcHirnldr, 
'riirir  nmy  l»r  jiM  liiiK'li  MM  Iwclvf  \\'i'\  H(|imi'«',  /ill  lioiltrli 
Icii  \)\  hii  in  II  (.^ood  Hi/<i.  In  nil  lioi'Htt  MJinllH,  provido 
liifdi  vvmIJ!'.  or  p/irl  il  i«»in',  lor  KicKiii),''  ntiiiiifdM,  iJircp 
iiimI    n    liiiir    lo    I'olir    i'rri,    lii^^li. 

cow    HTA MI/KM 

TIh',  ^rcwi'vnl  iirniiij/ciiicnl  of  n  row  fhildr,  I'roni  n. 
Vf-li't'inni'inii'H  poiiil,  of  vii'W,  nliotild  Im*  Hitriihir  lo  lliiit. 
i>\'  n  lioi'Mo  Hinid*',  <'X<'<'pl  tli/il  (M-rrH-iil  <'/m  Im  iiwrd  morn 
iJiliHrjM'lorily  Tor  r«'«(|  l,i'oii|.^lii',,  p/iMM/it{'<iwnyM  /ind  |mi1 
U'V  ludnnd  lln-  rowH,  ('«'IimiiI  piiMH/i|/nwnyM  Tor  liornn 
NtnMc!',  do  nol  fhind  w«||  on  Mrcoiiiil,  it\'  Mm  ditu^i^v  of 
bniiij:  ''111  lip  l»y  I  linrp  r/dl;;',  on  Mm  mImm'M.  Tlmy  /ini 
also   likely    lo    lie   Mii|»p»'ry   nl,   liim;', 

Tlif   N'lK^Mi   <d'  idjilh',    lor  (ill Mr-   mijiti,  depend  on    Mm 


20  The    Care    of  Animals 

size  of  the  animals.  For  small  cows  of  the  dairy  type 
the  length  of  stall  from  the  manger  to  edge  of  gutter 
should  be  from  fifty -six  to  sixty -two  inches;  and  for 
the  larger  beef  breeds  seventy -two  inches.  The  floor- 
ing of  the  stalls  should  be  planks,  well  matched,  run- 
ning lengthwise  of  the  stall  and  having  a  slight  incline 
to  the  rear.  The  gutter  behind  the  stall  should  be 
from  four  to  five  inches  deep  and  about  fifteen  inches 
wide.  The  edge  of  the  gutter  next  to  the  stall  should 
be  vertical;  otherwise  animals  are  liable  to  slip  when 
stepping  on  it. 

The  width  of  the  stall  should  vary,  according  to  the 
size  of  the  animal,  from  thirty-eight  to  forty-five  inches. 
There  should  be  a  partition  extending  far  enough  back 
to  keep  the  animals  from  fighting  each  other  and  from 
turning  crosswise  of  the  stall  so  as  to  interfere  with 
the  neighboring  animal  or  to  soil  the  adjoining  stall. 
In  the  narrower  stalls  for  milch  cows,  it  is  an  excel- 
lent plan  to  have  the  partition  hinged  near  the  cow's 
shoulder,  so  that  the  rear  portion  can  be  unhooked  and 
swung  aside  or  raised  to  give  more  room  for  the  milker. 

The  manger  should  be  as  low  as  convenient,  and 
should  be  so  divided  that  the  food  of  each  animal  is 
kept  in  a  separate  compartment.  In  the  stabling  of 
cows,  each  animal  should  have  her  own  stall  assigned 
to  her,  and  she  should  not  be  shifted  from  place  to 
place. 

Cows  are  fastened  in  stalls  in  various  ways.  Some 
of  the  swinging  or  chain  stanchions  give  good  satisfac- 
tion. An  excellent  method  is  merely  to  stretch  a  chain 
across  the  rear  of  the  stall.     This  is  a  cheap  and  effi- 


Cleaning   of  Horses  '  21 

cient  method  if  the  stall  is  built  of  proper  size;  and  it 
keeps  the  animal  from  being  soiled  by  the  droppings. 
Another  economical  and  satisfactory  method  is  to  use 
a  neck -strap  to  which  a  ring  is  fastened;  through  this 
ring  a  chain  is  passed  from  one  side  of  the  manger  to 
the  other,  crosswise  of  the  stall,  and  held  in  place  by  a 
slipping  bolt;  by  means  of  a  rope  attached  to  this  bolt 
and  fastened  to  a  lever,  all  the  animals  in  a  row  can 
be  released  at  once. 

The  drainage  from  stables,  especially  from  cow  sta- 
bles, should  be  kept  on  the  surface,  as  underground 
drains  clog  easily  with  the  coarse  material  that  is  used 
for  feed  and  bedding.  Preferably,  there  should  be  no 
drainage  of  urine,  for  it  should  be  absorbed  in  bedding 
for  use  as  a  fertilizer. 

THE    GROOMING    OF    HORSES 

In  most  respects  the  skin  of  animals  resembles 
that  of  man,  except  that  it  is  more  densely  covered 
with  hair  for  protection.  This  affords  a  place  for 
the  lodgment  of  dust  and  dirt,  w^iich  is  frequently 
retained  by  coming  in  contact  wdth  the  perspiration. 
Dirt  frequently  collects  upon  the  skin  and  coat  of 
animals  from  lying  down,  either  in  the  stable  or  out 
of  doors.  In  order  to  improve  the  appearance  of 
an  animal,  and  to  contribute  to  its  general  health,  the 
skin  should  be  cleaned  frequently.  This  is  best  done 
by  means  of  a  good  bristle  brush.  In  addition  to 
this  tool,  a  metal  comb  is  required  for  the  purpose 
of  loosening  such  hard  material  as  cannot  be  removed 


22  The    Care   of  Animals 

with  a  brMsh.  Combs,  however,  should  be  used  lightly 
and  only  for  the  purpose  of  removing  dirt.  The  es- 
sential part  of  grooming  is  to  apply  the  bristle  brush 
vigorously.  This  removes  the  accumulated  dirt  and 
dried  perspiration,  gives  the  coat  a  glossj'  appearance, 
and  prevents  various  parasitic  diseases  of  the  skin. 
If  possible,  grooming  should  be  performed  after  ani- 
mals have  had  exercise,  as  the  perspiration  produced 
by  the  exercise  is  then  removed  instead  of  being  allowed 
to  dry  on  the  skin.  This  is  especially  important  when 
the  skin  and  coat  are  soiled  with  mud  or  water.  After 
the  coarse  dirt  is  loosened  by  means  of  a  curry-comb, 
it  should  be  completely  removed  with  the  brush;  and, 
after  brushing,  the  loose  dust  can  be  removed  from 
the  outside  of  the  coat  by  wiping  with  a  slightly 
dampened   cloth. 

The  manes  and  tails  of  horses  can  be  cleaned  by 
using  a  very  coarse  comb  and  then  thoroughly  brush- 
ing with  a  mane  brush,  working  on  a  small  part  of 
the  mane  or  tail  at  a  time.  Curry-combs  and  finer 
combs  should  not  be  used  upon  the  mane  or  tail, 
as  they  pull  out  and  break  off  too  many  hairs.  The 
mane  and  tail  should  be  washed  once  in  two  weeks, 
care  being  taken  to  clean  the  skin  thoroughly  by 
using  warm  soft  water  and  some  mild  soap  ;  after 
washing  the  hair,  brushing  it  out  straight  and  dry- 
ing it,  a  little  bland  oil  or  vaseline  should  be  worked 
into  the  skin   to  keep  it  soft. 

In  warm  weather,  when  horses  are  brought  in  wet 
with  perspiration,  it  is  often  a  good  plan  to  rinse 
them   off   thoroughly  with  water  from  which   the  chill 


Clipping    Horses  23 

has  been  removed.  Then  with  a  slightly  curved  stick, 
commonly  called  a  scraper,  the  dirt  and  sweat  can  be 
thoroughly  removed.  The  skin  should  then  be  rubbed 
dry  with,  rubbing  cloths  and  the  hair  brushed  down 
straight. 

THE     CLIPPING     OF     HORSES 

When  horses  are  kept  in  comfortable  stables  dur- 
ing the  winter,  and  are  well  protected  against  cold 
by  stable  blankets  while  in  the  barn  and  by  street 
blankets  while  standing  out,  there  is  no  serious  ob- 
jection to  clipping  them.  It  improves  the  appear- 
ance of  the  horse  and  his  coat  is  more  easily  kept 
clean.  Horses  with  long,  thick  coats  should  be  clipped, 
as  they  usually  sweat  easily  and  their  coats  hold  the 
moisture,  so  that  if  the  animal  is  allowed  to  stand  it 
is  liable  to  take  cold.  If  horses  are  clipped  twice  a 
year,  the  operation  should  be  performed  the  first  time 
soon  after  the  hair  has  grown  out  in  the  fall.  This 
allows  them  to  become  accustomed  to  the  change  be- 
fore cold  weather  sets  in,  and  it  also  allows  for  some 
growth  of  hair  before  winter.  They  should  be  clipped 
the  second  time  in  early  spring,  as  soon  as  the  weather 
begins  to  get  warm  and  before  the  winter  coats  begin 
to  be  shed. 

When  horses  cannot  be  protected  from  the  cold, 
either  in  the  stable  or  outside,  they  should  not  be 
clipped  in  the  fall;  but  the  long  hair  on  the  legs, 
as  far  as  the  knee  and  hock,  m.ay  be  removed.  This 
is  particularly  important  in  horses  that  are  required 
to  work   in  mud,  as  the  legs  are   much  more  readily 


24  The    Core    of  Animals 

kept  clean,  and  diseases  such  as  scratches,  mud  fever 
and  others,  all  caused  bj^  irritation  from  mud  or  dirt, 
are  prevented. 

THE     CARE     OF    THE     FEET 

The  feet  of  animals  should  be  looked  after  fre- 
quently and  ail  accumulations  of  dirt  removed.  This 
is  especially  important  with  horses.  Their  feet  should 
be  examined  and  scraped  out  in  the  morning  before 
being  sent  to  work  and  at  night  after  returning,  as 
it  is  very  common  to  find  foreign  bodies,  such  as 
nails  and  stones,  either  driven  into  the  w^all  or  sole 
of  the -foot,  or  collected  in  the  clefts  of  the  frog  or 
between  the  bars  and  the  frog.  If  the  hoofs  show 
a  tendency  to  dry  out  and  become  hard  and  brittle 
they  should  be  softened  with  some  good  oil  or  hoof 
ointment.  If  they  are  ragged  and  tend  to  split, 
they  should  be  rasped  on  the  edges  and  trimmed  un- 
til smooth.  When  animals  are  closely  confined  in 
stalls,  especially  on  bedding,  the  hoofs  grow  out  long; 
and  if  not  treated  they  will  deform  the  animal  and 
make  traveling  extremely  difficult.  This  condition  is 
often  observed  in  sheep,  cattle  and  horses  when  they 
do  not  get  exercise  enough  to  wear  away  the  horn 
as  rapidly  as  it  grows.  The  hoofs  of  such  animals 
can  be  trimmed  by  paring  them  with  a  knife,  or, 
better,  in  most  cases,  by  using  hoof-paring  instru- 
ments which  are  made  for  farriers.  These  resemble 
in  construction  a  pair  of  pincers.  In  paring  hoofs, 
care    should    be  exercised  not   to  cut    them  too   short, 


Bedding  for   Animals  25 

as  the  animal  is  likelj'  to  become  footsore.  The  hoofs 
of  colts  should  be  examined  often  to  see  that  they 
are  growing  symmetrically.  It  sometimes  happens 
that  a  piece  is  worn  or  broken  from  one  side  of 
a  hoof,  and  this  throws  the  weight  of  the  body  in 
such  a  way  as  to  bring  a  strain  upon  the  joints, 
that  causes  deformity  or  disease.  In  trimming  hoofs, 
the  outside  of  the  wall  should  not  be  rasped  or  cut 
away,  as  it  naturally  forms  a  protective  coating  over 
the   hoof. 

BEDDING 

Animals  that  are  confined  in  stables  through  the 
night  should  be  well  bedded  with  some  material  that 
will  not  only  make  a  comfortable  place  for  them  to 
lie  on,  but  that  will  keep  the  animal  clean  and  dry.  If 
possible,  a  bedding  should  be  used  that  will  absorb 
moisture  and  help  to  keep  the  quarters  clean.  Bedding 
should  be  free  from  chemical  substances  or  irritants 
that  are  liable  to  injure  the  skin  or  feet,  or  that  would 
be  injurious  to  the  animal  if  eaten.  Among  good 
substances  used  for  bedding  are  straw,  shavings,  coarse 
hay,  sawdust,  peat  moss  and  tan  bark. 

The  bedding  in  the  stall  should  be  spread  so  that 
most  of  it  is  fairly  well  forward,  as  there  is  a  tendency 
for  it  to  work  backward  with  the  movements  of  the 
animal.  Heaping  the  bedding  in  the  center  of  the 
stall  should  be  avoided,  in  order  to  prevent  the  animals 
from  getting  cast.  Rye -straw  makes  excellent  bedding. 
It  is  bright  and  clean,  is  easily  handled  and  wears 
well.     The  bedding  should  be   removed  from   stalls  in 


26  The    Care    of  Animals 

the  morning,  and,  if  possible,  spread  in  the  sun  where 
it  can  be  thoroughly  dried;  this  not  onh-  purities  the 
bedding  but  puts  it  out  of  the  way  while  the  stall 
is  being  thoroughly  scraped  and  aired. 

CARE     OF     SWINE 

In  the  rearing  of  swine  it  is  important  that  they  be 
not  closely  confined,  except  when  they  are  being  fattened 
for  the  market.  If  possible  they  should  be  allowed 
a  large  range,  with  much  green  food.  Swine  belong 
to  the  class  which  is  known  as  omnivorous  animals, 
because  of  the  great  variety  of  food,  both  animal  and 
vegetable,  that  they  eat.  As  a  rule,  swine  do  not  thrive 
well  when  closely  confined,  or  when  fed  largely  on 
one  kind  of  food.  They  may  increase  in  flesh,  but  their 
systems  seem  weakened  and  predisposed  to  disease. 
Swine  should  be  changed  frequently  from  pasture  to 
pasture,  and  the  runs  should  be  so  arranged  that  the 
animals  have  plenty  of  clean  water  to  drink.  In  sum- 
mer they  should  have  some  protection  against  the 
sun.  In  winter  it  is  necessary  to  give  them  protection 
against  cold,  as  the  hair  and  bristles  are  a  very  poor 
protection. 

If  allowed  access  to  straw-stacks  swine  will  burrow 
into  the  straw  and  secure  protection  in  this  way,  but 
such  stacks  should  be  destroyed  at  the  end  of  each 
season.  It  is  still  better  if  the  straw  is  changed  once 
or  twice  during  the  winter.  When  special  pens  are 
built  for  swine,  they  should  be  so  arranged  that  they 
can  be  easily  and  thoroughly  cleaned.     Cement  answers 


General    Care    of  Swme  27 

well  for  a  part  of  the  floor,  but  in  those  parts  in  which 
the  animals  sleep  and  in  which  young  pigs  are  kept, 
a  well -matched  plank  floor  is  better.  Young  pigs  that 
are  kept  on  cement  floors  are  likely  to  suffer  from 
lameness  and  enlarged  joints. 

When  a  large  number  of  swine  are  kept,  it  is  best 
to  have  them  divided  into  separate  lots,  and  not  to 
confine  very  many  together.  They  should  be  given 
a  variety  of  food  and  allowed  access  to  fresh,  clean 
earth.  There  is  often  noticed  in  swine  a  disposition 
to  eat  dirt;  this  indicates  a  craving  for  mineral  sub- 
stances. This  appetite  can  usually  be  satisfied  by  a 
mixture  of  one  part  of  common  salt,  two  parts  of  air- 
slaked  lime,  one  part  of  sulfur,  two  parts  of  charcoal, 
and  one  part  of  wood -ashes.  This  mixture  should  be 
placed  where  the  swine  can  get  it  freely.  In  case 
garbage  or  swill  from  cities  is  used,  care  must  be 
taken  in  its  feeding,  as  such  material  is  likely  to  con- 
tain substances  that  are  poisonous.  Garbage  or  animal 
food  that  is  badly  decomposed  is  also  likelj^  to  contain 
poisons.  Swine  need  clean  wholesome  food,  as  well  as 
other  animals. 

In  case  swine  are  confined  in  permanent  buildings 
during  the  winter,  the  quarters  should  be  thoroughly 
cleaned,  disinfected  and  whitewashed  as  soon  as  the 
animals  can  be  turned  out  to  pasture. 

It  is  often  an  excellent  plan  to  have  some  rubbing- 
posts  in  the  yards  w^here  swine  are  kept.  Old  cloths 
tied  to  these  posts  and  kept  saturated  with  crude  petro- 
leum furnish  excellent  means  for  ridding  the  hogs  of 
lice. 


28  The    Care   of  Animals 

YARDS   AND   CORRALS 

Yards  and  corrals  in  which  animals  have  been  con- 
fined for  feeding  or  other  purposes  should  be  thoroughly 
renovated  at  least  once  a  year,  preferably  in  the  spring. 
All  manure,  litter  and  rubbish  should  be  removed,  and 
puddles  should  be  drained  or  filled.  If  any  loose  earth 
remains  it  should  be  carried  away;  but  if  this  is  not 
possible  it  can  be  stirred  several  times  by  means  of  a 
harrow  or  hoe,  to  allow  the  sun  free  access  to  it.  If 
any  sheds  exist,  they  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  a 
coat  of  whitewash  or  other  disinfectant  applied.  Allow- 
ing the  yards  and  corrals  to  remain  unoccupied  through 
the  summer  is  an  excellent  method  of  disinfecting. 
Weeds  should  not  be  allowed  to  grow  in  the  j^ard. 

QUARANTINE 

Quarantining  is  the  separating  and  isolating  from 
healthy  animals  of  those  suffering  from  a  contagious 
or  infectious  disease.  Whenever  there  is  suspicion  of 
a  contagious  disease  the  animals  should  be  quarantined 
until  the  nature  of  the  disease  is  known.  Healthy 
animals  should  be  removed  from  those  that  are  sus- 
pected, and  taken  to  quarters  where  no  sick  animals 
have  been  confined.  This  is  better  than  to  remove  the 
sick  animals  from  the  healthy,  leaving  the  latter  in 
infected  quarters  or  on  ground  that  may  have  become 
infected  from  the  excretions  of  the  sick  animals. 

Care  should  further  be  taken  that  the  healthy  ani- 
mals are  not  exposed  by  means  of  infected  food,  water- 


Quarantine  29 

ing  places  or  feed -boxes.  The  sick  animals  should  be 
separated  from  the  others  by  some  distance,  and  their  lo- 
cation be  such  that  the  drainage  is  away  from  the  healthy 
animals.  Affected  animals  should  not  be  allowed  access 
to  streams,  as  the  infection  may  be  carried  by  the  water. 

Some  diseases  are  carried  from  sick  to  healthy  ani- 
mals by  means  of  flies  or  other  insects.  When  sick 
animals  are  confined  in  buildings  it  is  possible  to  pro- 
tect them  from  insects,  so  that  this  source  of  danger 
is  eliminated.  Should  other  cases  of  the  disease  occur 
among  animals  that  have  been  removed  from  the  sick, 
the  healthy  animals  should  again  be  separated  from 
the  sick  and  removed  to  other  non- infected  quarters. 

When  animals  have  been  quarantined,  a  separate 
attendant  should  be  secured  to  care  for  the  sick  ones. 
If  this  is  not  possible,  the  attendant  should  care  for 
the  healthy  animals  first,  and  after  caring  for  the  sick 
should  provide  himself  with  a  change  of  clothing.  In 
handling  contagious  diseases,  precautions  should  always 
be  taken  that  the  attendant  does  not  himself  become 
infected;  for  some  diseases,  among  them  glanders,  an- 
thrax, probably  tuberculosis  and  some  parasitic  diseases, 
may  be  communicated  from  animals  to  man. 


CHAPTER    III 
THE    CABE    OF   PETS 

The  care  of  pet  animals  must  depend  very  largely 
on  the  species  of  animal,  and  on  the  location  as  to 
whether  in  the  city  or  country.  In  the  country  pets 
are  very  much  more  easily  cared  for  and  much  less 
liable  to  disease  and  injury,  on  account  of  the  freedom, 
variety  of  food,  exercise  and  free  surroundings.  In 
choosing  pets,  it  is  good  policy  to  select  pure -bred 
animals  of  excellent  individuality,  as  it  costs  no  more 
to  keep  a  good  individual  than  a  poor  one,  and  the  in- 
creased satisfaction  that  results  is  ample  compensation. 
In  choosing  pets  two  points  should  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration: (1)  Docility,  as  it  is  much  easier  to  care 
for  quiet  animals  than  for  uneasy  and  nervous  ones; 
(2)  as  a  rule,  medium -sized,  short-haired  animals  are 
most  easily  cared  for.  In  some  cases,  as  in  Angora 
cats,  the  long  hair  is  a  leading  attraction;  and  these 
instances,  therefore,  are  exceptions  to  the  rule.  If 
possible,  one  should  select  pets  that  can  be  kept  for 
use  as  well  as  for  pleasure. 

In  those  animals  in  which  the  beauty  and  interest 
lie  largely  in  the  coat,  extra  care  and  precaution  must 
be  taken  to  keep  it  in  prime  condition.  Light-colored 
animals  require  more  attention  than  dark  ones. 

In  caring  for  pets  it  is  important  that  the  natural 
(30) 


Food  for   Pet    Animals  31 

tastes  of  the  animal  be  taken  into  consideration;  con- 
sider whether  it  is  herbivorous,  living-  largely-  upon 
grass  and  grain,  or  carnivorous,  subsisting  chiefly  on 
meat  and  other  animal  foods.  Yet  domesticated  ani- 
mals are  usually  not  exclusively  restricted  to  one  diet, 
but  will  eat  a  variety  of  both  animal  and  vegetable 
foods.  Such  variety,  if  palatable,  is  important  in  main- 
taining health  and  vigor. 

A  food  that  is  suited  to  nearh'  all  pets,  since  it  fur- 
nishes all  the  necessary  elements  for  their  growth,  is 
milk.  It  should  be  fed  while  sweet  and  preferably 
while  it  is  warm  from  the  cow.  Warm  milk  seems 
to  possess  unknown  health -giving  qualities  that  dis- 
appear after  it  has  been  kept  a  half  day  or  more.  In 
feeding  milk  to  pets,  care  should  be  taken  not  to 
allow  them  to  have  too  much  at  a  time.  One  of  the 
greatest  dangers  to  pet  animals  is  overfeeding.  They 
should  be  allowed  small  quantities  frequently  in  order 
to  keep  them  in  a  thrifty,  vigorous  condition. 

DOGS 

Among  animals  that  are  kept  for  pets  as  well  as 
for  use,,  the  dog  undoubtedly  holds  the  first  place. 
Upon  farms  where  stock  is  kept,  a  well -broken  collie 
dog  is  an  unfailing  source  of  help  and  satisfaction, 
while  an  unbroken  dog  is  a  continual  nuisance.  In 
handling  stock  with  a  dog,  it  is  important  that  the 
dog  be  well  trained,  and  that  great  care  be  exercised 
while  the  animals  are  getting  used  to  being"  managed 
by  him.     When  these  two  conditions  are  fulfilled  it  is 


32  The    Care    of  Animals 

surprising    how  easily   and   economically  stock   can   be 
taken  care  of. 

Dogs  are  usually  selected  on  account  of  their  beauty, 
size,  markings,  intelligence,  or  some  individuality  that 
may  appeal  to  the  fancy  of  the  chooser.  In  deciding 
this  matter  the  question  of  male  or  female  is  often 
important.  If  intended  for  a  house  dog,  bitches  are 
frequently  preferred,  as  they  are  generally  more  tidy 
in  habits  and  often  more  easily  trained  than  male 
dogs.  The  disadvantage,  provided  one  does  not  wish 
to  breed  them,  is  the  period  of  heat  which  occurs  about 
once  in  six  months,  beginning  usuallj*  when  the  bitch 
is  about  one  year  old.  During  this  period  there  is 
a  tendency  for  the  bitch  to  leave  home  and  for  other 
dogs  to  gather  and  remain  about  the  premises.  When 
bitches  are  kept  without  spaying,  and  it  is  not  desired 
to  breed  them,  during  the  period  of  heat  they  should 
be  completely  isolated  at  a  considerable  distance  from 
other  dogs,  preferably  in  such  a  place  as  a  barn  loft 
or  cellar,  where  the  dogs  will  not  be  attracted.  They 
should  be  kept  isolated  for  at  least  ten  days,  or  during 
the  whole  period  of  heat.  If  the  bitch  is  not  to  be 
kept  for  breeding  purposes  it  is  usually  best  to  have 
her  spayed,  preferably  before  she  has  come  in  heat  at 
all.  Spayed  bitches  make  excellent  house  dogs,  the 
only  objection  to  them  being  that  they  take  on  fat 
readily.  In  some  communities  unspayed  bitches  are 
taxed  heavily  in  comparison  with  male  dogs,  but  a 
certificate  showing  that  the  bitch  has  been  spayed 
usually  brings  them  under  the  same  tax  rates  as  other 
dogs. 


Care   of  Puppies  33 

If  one  wishes  a  dog  to  break  or  train  for  a  special 
purpose,  a  j'oung  animal  should  be  chosen.  There  is, 
of  course,  an  increased  danger  of  loss  from  death, 
especially  if  the  puppy  has  not  yet  had  dog  distemper; 
but  it  is  a  great  advantage  to  get  acquainted  with  the 
puppy,  and  to  begin  to  break  him  while  he  is  still 
tractable.  Puppies,  as  a  rule,  are  weaned  at  four  to 
six  weeks  old.  After  weaning  they  should  be  fed  fresh 
milk  diluted  one -third  with  boiled  water.  In  this  milk 
dr}^  crusts  or  a  small  amount  of  dog-cake  may  be  soaked. 
A  piece  of  bread  or  dog -cake  maj^  also  be  given  dry 
for  them  to  gnaw  on,  but  it  should  not  be  supplied 
in  small  pieces  that  they  can  swallow  whole.  Long- 
haired puppies  and  kittens  get  the  hair  about  the 
mouth  dirty  and  matted  with  the  food  they  eat.  The 
parts  should  be  carefully  washed,  else  the  skin  may 
become  sore.  If  possible  to  avoid  it,  puppies  should 
not  be  washed  all  over  until  they  are  half  grown. 

When  it  is  necessary  to  wash  puppies  or  kittens, 
use  warm  water  and  apply  it  with  a  sponge  or  soft 
rag.  Avoid  immersing  the  animal  in  a  cold  bath,  as 
it  is  likely  to  cause  a  nervous  shock.  After  long- 
haired puppies  are  six  to  eight  months  old,  they  may 
be  washed,  using  soft,  warm  water  and  a  mild  soap. 
Some  of  the  tar  soaps  are  excellent,  as  they  have  a 
soothing  action  on  the  skin,  and  have  a  tendency  to 
free  the  dog  of  vermin.  After  washing,  the  soap 
can  be  rinsed  out  and  the  hair  dried  by  rubbing  with 
cloths  or  by  allowing  the  animal  to  roll  in  clean  straw 
in  a  sunny  place. 

It  is  important  that  puppies  and  their  quarters  be 


34  The    Care    of  Animals 

kept  clean,  in  order  to  avoid  injury  from  parasites. 
Young  dogs  should  be  kept  in  roomy  quarters  where 
they  have  access  to  a  sunny  yard,  and  a  dry  place  in 
which  to  sleep.  It  is  best  to  keep  but  a  few  together 
in  one  yard.  Puppies  are  active  animals  and  need 
much  exercise.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  take  them  out- 
side their  quarters  once  or  twice  daily  for  exercise,  but 
they  should  not  be  taken  very  far,  especially  when 
young.  Dogs  that  are  closely  confined  are  likely  to 
lack  vigor  and  suffer  from  indigestion,  diseases  of  the 
joints,  and  the  like.  Dogs  that  run  wild  are  more 
difficult  to  break  and  handle. 

When  puppies  get  to  be  two  months  old  a  little 
meat  maybe  given.  It  should  not  be  supplied  in  large 
pieces,  for  they  are  likely  to  swallow  it  without  proper 
mastication.  Large  bones  compel  the  dog  to  gnaw  the 
meat  off  and  are  much  better.  When  several  puppies 
are  fed  together,  care  should  be  exercised  that  the 
stronger  ones  do  not  get  more  than  their  share.  Again, 
in  feeding  puppies  in  company  with  old  dogs,  see  that 
the  puppies  secure  their  share  of  the  food,  and  that 
they  are  not  bitten  or  injured  by  older  ones.  It  is 
much  better  to  feed  each  animal  by  itself,  so  that  it 
will  not  be  disturbed  by  others. 

When  only  a  few  dogs  are  kept,  scraps  from  the 
table  furnish  a  variety  of  excellent  food,  especially 
when  a  small  amount  of  meat- gravy  or  drippings  is 
added.  When  there  are  many  dogs,  well -baked  corn- 
bread  that  has  been  slightly  salted  is  an  excellent  and 
economical  addition  to  the  diet.  Dogs  always  should 
be  allowed  all  the  clean  water  they  want  to  drink. 


Training   Dogs  35 

THE  BREAKING  OF  DOGS  FOR  FARM  PURPOSES 

The  essentials  to  a  good  trainer  of  dogs  are:  (1)  An 
interest  in  the  animal;  (2)  a  knowledge  of  what  is 
required;  (3)  good  judgment  and  patience.  It  is  an 
excellent  plan  to  have  an  older  and  well -broken  dog 
to  assist  in  the  training,  as  dogs  are  imitative.  The 
puppy  quickly  learns  what  is  wanted  by  association 
with  the  older  dog.  In  breaking  dogs  to  handle  stock, 
it  is  also  a  great  advantage  to  have  stock  that  is  used 
to  being  driven  by  a  dog,  upon  which  to  break  the  puppy. 
Stock  that  is  not  used  to  a  dog  is  often  easily  frightened, 
or  it  may  fight  the  dog.  If  a  puppy  is  hurt  or  gets  into 
a  notion  of  chasing  stock,  bad  habits  may  be  formed 
that  are  difficult  to  overcome. 

The  first  essential  in  breaking  a  dog  for  any  purpose 
is  to  teach  him  to  mind.  Dogs  are  intelligent  and 
affectionate  animals,  and  are  usually  gratified  to  do 
the  will  of  the  master.  If  possible,  an  animal  should 
be  broken  to  mind  without  fear  of  punishment.  When 
a  dog  obeys  and  does  the  required  task,  he  should  be 
rewarded  by  a  word,  caress  or  bit  of  something  to  eat. 
When  it  is  necessary  to  punish  a  dog  for  disobedience, 
the  trainer  should  be  sure  that  the  animal  understands 
what  is  wanted,  and  if  he  refuses  to  do  the  task  he 
should  be  punished  judiciously — the  punishment  de- 
pending largely  on  the  nature  and  disposition  of  the 
dog.  Dogs  of  a  sensitive  organization  must  be  pun- 
ished cautiously;  it  is  usually  a  good  plan  to  shut  the 
dog  up  alone  after  punishment  and  allow  him  to  think 
it  over.     A  mistake  that  is  commonly  made  by  novices 


36  The    Care   of  Animals 

in  training  dogs  or  other  animals  is  to  attempt  to 
teach  too  much  at  once.  A  dog  should  be  trained  to 
do  one  thing,  and  do  it  well,  before  another  lesson  is 
attempted.  Dogs  that  are  confined  either  by  chains 
or  in  yards  are  easier  to  break  than  those  that  run  at 
large. 

When  a  dog  has  a  tendency  to  run  away  and  chase 
stock  or  game  a  strong  cord  attached  to  the  collar  is 
of  great  help  in  controlling  him.  If  the  dog  is  head- 
strong, a  collar  with  spikes  on  the  inside,  just  long 
enough  to  prick  him  sharply,  can  be  used.  The  dog 
should  be  spoken  to  sharply  and  firmly,  and  if  he  does 
not  mind  a  slight  jerk  on  the  collar  will  serve  to  re- 
mind him.  All  faults  and  weaknesses  in  young  dogs 
should  be  watched  for  and  corrected  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble, as  they  are  likely  to  grow  rapidl}^  and  to  become 
firmly  fixed  habits  as  the  animal  gets  older.  This  is 
especially  true  of  a  tendency  to  be  cross  to  other  ani- 
mals or  to  people.  It  is  difficult  to  break  an  old  dog 
of  this  vice.  It  is  an  adage  that  you  cannot  teach  an 
old   dog  new  tricks. 

In  breaking  dogs  avoid  shouting,  as  it  is  as  easy  to 
teach  them  to  mind  a  single  word  or  whistle,  and  much 
more  satisfactory.  One  of  the  surest  ways  to  spoil  a 
dog  is  to  club  him  or  punish  him  severely  for  some 
error  which  he  may  not  understand  and  then  allow 
him  to  go  free. 

CATS 

Cats  hold  a  prominent  place  as  pets  on  account 
of   their   cleanly,   domestic    natures,   and   their   useful- 


The   Household    Cat  37 

ness  in  keeping  premises  free  from  rats  and  mice. 
The  chief  objection  to  them  is  that  they  do  not  al- 
ways distinguish  between  animals  that  are  to  be  pro- 
tected and  those  that  are  to  be  destroj^ed.  They 
often  prey  upon  the  birds  about  the  premises  and 
even  on  young  chickens. 


Fig.  12.    The  household  pet 

In  country  places  cats  require  no  special  care  or 
attention  except  such  as  may  be  given  to  fancy  in- 
dividuals. Milk  and  table  scraps,  supplemented  by 
what  they  gather  in  foraging,  furnish  a  good  variety 
of  food.  In  cities,  where  it  is  necessary  to  confine 
them,  the  problem   is  more  difficult.      If  possible  the 


38  The    Care   of  Animals 

quarters  for  cats  should  be  warm,  sunny  and  dry. 
A  bed  of  clean  straw  is  better  than  a  pillow,  be- 
cause easily  renewed,  as  it  should  be  from  time  to 
time.  A  pan  with  dry  earth  or  sawdust  should  be 
kept  where  the  cat  may  have  access  to  it.  This 
should  be  changed  frequently,  as  cats  are  cleanly 
animals.  In  feeding  young  cats,  care  must  be  exer- 
cised that  they  do  not  eat  too  much,  as  indigestion 
induced  by  this  cause  may  bring  on  convulsions  or 
"fits." 

When  a  kitten  has  a  convulsion  it  should  be 
wrapped  in  warm  cloths  and  placed  in  quiet  quarters; 
after  it  recovers  a  half  teaspoonful  of  mustard  mixed 
with  a  little  tepid  water  may  be  given  to  induce  vomit- 
ing and  thus  to  empty  the  stomach.  This  may  be  fol- 
lowed with  one -half  to  one  teaspoonful  of  castor  oil 
administered  with  a  little  warm  milk  to  purge  the 
bowels.  Usually  cats  that  can  run  out  of  doors  will 
eat  grass  or  other  green  leaves  that  tend  to  cor- 
rect digestive  troubles.  When  cats  are  confined,  bits 
of  celery  may  be  given  in  the  place  of  grass  and 
leaves. 

Caring  for  the  coats  of  pet  animals  is  important. 
Cats  and  dogs  can  be  washed  frequently  with  some 
mild  soap  and  warm  soft  water  ;  the  soap  should 
then  be  rinsed  from  the  skin  and  the  hair  should 
be  laid  in  the  proper  direction  before  it  dries;  after 
the  body  is  dry  the  coat  can  be  gone  over  with  a  soft 
brush.  Brushing  the  coat  is  much  better  than  comb- 
ing it.  Some  cats  can  become  accustomed  to  washing 
with    water,    but    most   of   them    resent    it.      A    little 


Care    of   Cats  39 

sweet  cream   rubbed  on   the   coat   induces  the   average 
cat    to    lick   the   hair   dovvu    smoothh'. 

The  following  advice  on  the  care  of  cats,  by  C. 
H.  Jones,  editor  of  "The  Cat  Journal,"  is  reprinted, 
by  permission  from  "Country  Life  in  America"  for 
November,   1902  : 

"There  are  two  mistaken  opinions  regarding  cats^ 
one,  that  the  cat  is  a  hardy  animal;  the  other,  that  a 
cat,  no  matter  how  or  where  abandoned,  is  able  to 
provide  for  itself. 

"First,  a  cat  is  not  a  hardy  animal;  her  organiza- 
tion is  delicate,  her  nervous  system  sensitive.  Second, 
a  cat  cannot  always  provide  for  herself,  even  in  her 
natural  state  and  with  all  her  native  instincts  unim- 
paired. Even  man,  when  unaided,  often  fails  here. 
In  hard  winters  the  Indian  starves  in  his  wigwam,  and 
the  w^ild-cat  starves  in  the  woods.  Much  less,  then,  is 
a  cat  that  is  accustomed  to  the  comforts  of  a  home 
and  the  surroundings  of  civilized  life  able  to  take 
care  of  herself.  Of  all  the  cats  abandoned  each  year 
when  the  summer  cottages  are  closed,  the  greater  part 
lose  their  'nine  lives '  and  are  'gathered  to  their 
fathers  '  long  before  the  winter  is  half  over. 

"People  who  pay  high  prices  for  Persians  and  An- 
goras are  willing  to  take  pains  to  keep  them  in  health 
and  life,  and  they  try  to  give  them  proper  attention; 
but  w^iile  care  is  needed,  it  is  easy  to  give  them 
too  much  if  knowledge  is  lacking  on  the  part  of  owners. 
The  pet  is  fed  with  wrong  foods  at  wrong  times,  and 
if  a  little  indisposition  manifests  itself  it  is  usually 
faithfully  drugged  and  killed  off  in  the  best  of  style. 


40  The    Care    of  Animals 

"The  common  causes  of  death  among  cats  are  teeth- 
ing, worms  and  overfeeding,  especiall}^  the  last.  Cats 
should  be  fed  only  at  regular  intervals,  like  individ- 
uals who  wish  to  keep  well;  adult  cats  twice  a  da}^; 
kittens  not  over  four  times.  If  there  are  but  few- 
cats  in  the  house,  feed  them  from  the  assortment  left 
from  the  table,  including  a  liberal  proportion  of  vege- 
tables and  cereals.  Beef  and  mutton  are  good;  also 
white -meated  fish  cooked  and  boned,  raw  cream,  fresh 
or  scalded  milk.  A  little  lack  of  appetite  should 
cause  no  alarm.  Remember  that  more  cats  die  from 
overeating  than  from  starvation.  It  is  better  to  err 
on  the  side  of  underfeeding. 

"Soft  foods,  hke  oatmeal,  must  be  thoroughly  well 
cooked.  Rolled  oat  preparations  should  cook  at  least 
six  hours.  Dry  package  foods  are  better.  In  case  of 
bowel  looseness,  no  solid  foods  should  be  given;  the 
animal  should  be  fed  for  a  time  on  scalded  milk, 
which  may  be  strengthened  by  adding  arrowroot,  rice 
or  oatmeal  water,  or  any  of  the  patented  bab}'  foods. 
Liver  is  an  intestinal  irritant,  lacking  nutriment;  it 
should  be  given  only  cooked,  and  occasionally  as  a 
relish.  Most  cats  are  fond  of  a  food  made  of  one 
part  finely  chopped  beef  or  mutton,  two  parts  stale 
whole  wheat  or  graham  bread  softened  with  water; 
add  an  egg  or  two,  and  bake  till  thoroughly  cooked 
but  not  crisped.  This  is  a  wholesome  and  an  ex- 
cellent preparation.  It  is  a  good  food  to  use  in  ship- 
ping. Sprinkle  a  little  pinch  of  sulfur  on  the  soft- 
boiled  or  poached  egg  that  you  give  them  twice  a  week, 
or  if  they  are  not  partial  to  egg  it  may  be  sprinkled 


Care    of   Cats  41 

on  the  other  food.  As  sulfur  is  practically  tasteless, 
they  will  not  object   to  its   use  in  this  manner. 

"A  common  cause  of  sickness,  especially  in  long- 
haired cats,  is  clogging  of  the  stomach  and  intestines 
with  hair  in  the  shedding  season.  The  cat  should 
be  brushed  daily  with  a  soft  bristle  brush,  removing 
by  this  gentle  process  as  much  of  the  hair  as  possi- 
ble. This  will  not  prevent  the  cat  from  licking  itself 
and  swallowing  hair;  but  it  will  prevent  it,  to  a  cer- 
tain extent,  from  becoming  dangerously  injured  by 
it.  During  the  'molting  season,'  give  daily  with  her 
food  a  dessert -spoonful  of  fresh  olive  oil;  if  she  ob- 
jects to  this,  mix  it  with  a  little  juice  from  a  can  of 
salmon.  The  oil  will  assist  her  in  disposing  of  the 
hair  in  a  natural  manner.  If  the  cat  throws  up  casts 
of  hair,  congratulate  her,  as  it  is  one  of  nature's  ways 
of  affording  relief. 

''Cats  should  be  kept  free  from  matted  clots  of  hair, 
for  vermin  deposit  their  eggs  in  these.  A  comb  will 
disentangle  them  if  used  in  time,  but  if  thej"  do  not 
easily  yield,  work  them  full  of  vaseline,  and  leave 
over  night;  this  loosens  them  so  that  a  comb  should 
remove  them;^  but  if  they  still  resist,  remove  them  with 
scissors,  taking  care  not  to  hurt  the  skin.  This  matted 
hair  is  usually  dead  hair  and  should  come  out. 

"Washing  cats  is  not  a  good  practice.  In  case  of 
sickness,  for  sanitary  purposes,  dry  boracic  acid,  dusted 
into  the  hair  and  brushed  out,  will  accomplish  the  re- 
sult desired  with  less  annoyMuce  to  the  animal.  If 
the  cat  needs  cleaning,  fill  the  fur  w4th  damp,  warm 
bran  and  brush  it. 


42  The    Care   of  Animals 

"At  the  first  sign  of  dryness  of  the  ear,  fill  with  dry 
boracic  acid  and  leave  in  the  ear.  This  applied  daily 
for  a  week  will  usually  bring  about  natural  and  health- 
ful conditions.  If  the  kitten  scratches  her  ear,  crying 
at  the  same  time,  examine  the  ear;  if  it  is  coated  or 
partially  filled  with  a  dry,  scaly,  bloody  substance,  a 
few  drops  of  peroxide  of  hj^drogen  mixed  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  water,  dropped  into  the  ear,  will  cause  a 
foam  to  appear.  Wipe  this  off  with  a  soft  dry  cloth, 
then  dust  in  dry  boracic  acid.  A  few  such  treatments 
will  usually  effect  a  cure.  The  malady,  if  neglected, 
almost  always  ends  in  an  abscess. 

"In  general,  one  should  not  be  in  too  much  haste 
to  doctor  a  cat.  If  there  is  no  certainty  as  to  what 
her  trouble  is,  and  no  specialist  on  cat  diseases  ac- 
cessible, it  is  better  simply  to  keep  her  warm  and 
feed  her  on  light  diet,  and  leave  nature  to  effect  a 
cure.  This  is  far  preferable  to  filling  her  system  with 
a  lot  of  drugs  that  are  perhaps  not  indicated  by  the 
symptoms.  Remedies  recommended  for  dogs  are  gen- 
erally fatal  to  cats,  and  must  be  used  with  great 
caution  and  given  only  by  a  specialist.  Anything 
containing  carbolic  acid  is  almost  certain  death  to  a 
cat.  A  sick  cat  wants  quiet;  so  do  not  torment  her 
by  fussing  over  her  all  the  time,  for  by  this  mis- 
taken kindness  you  may  kill  the  animal. 

"If  a  kitten  has  a  fit,  which  is  usually  caused  by 
teething,  worms,  too  much  or  too  strong  food,  sub- 
merge her  at  once  to  the  neck  in  warm  water,  with 
cold  water  on  her  head;  leave  for  five  or  ten  minutes, 
then  dry  with  a  soft  cloth,  old  newspapers,  or  tissue 


Care    of  Rahhifs  43 

paper,  and  lay  in  a  dark  place,  cover  warmly  and  let 
aloue.  If  you  notice  the  spasm  coming  on,  place  cold 
water  on  her  head  immediately  and  it  will  usually 
prevent  the  trouble.  There  is  no  danger  of  being  bit- 
ten by  a  kitten  in  a  fit. 

"A  powdery  substance  through  the  fur  indicates  fleas. 
Saturate  with  olive  oil.  This  brings  the  vermin  to  the 
surface,  where  they  may  be  easily  killed.  If  it  is  a 
nursing  kitten,  wash,  after  using  the  oil,  with  white 
castile,  or  some  mild  antiseptic  soap  and  thoroughly 
dry;  otherwise  the  mother  may  desert  her.  If  she  is  not 
nursing,  leave  the  oil  on  for  a  few  days.  It  does  not 
make  her  look  pretty,  but  she  will  not  mind  this  and 
you  need  not,  as  it  gives  her  perfect  rest  from  the  fleas. 
Never  believe  that  a  flea  is  dead  until  you  hear  it  crack 
or  see  it  in  the  hot  water.  Fleas  quickly  reduce  the 
vitality  of  a  cat;  she  will  die  if  they  are  not  removed. 
Cat -fleas  will  not  get  on  human  beings.  Cat -fleas  are 
different   from   dog -fleas." 

RABBITS   AND   HARES 

Rabbits  and  hares  (Fig.  13)  are  popular  pets  and 
are  also  used  extensively  as  food.  They  are  easily  han- 
dled and  kept.  While  naturally  herbivorous,  they  will 
eat  a  great  variety  of  food.  Pens  for  rabbits  should 
be  constructed  in  dry,  sunny  situations,  and  should 
have  good  drainage.  The  walls  of  the  pens  should  be 
strongly  constructed,  so  that  they  will  not  onh'  prevent 
the  escape  of  the  rabbits,  but  also  protect  them 
against  the  attacks  of  dogs  from  the  outside.     To  keep 


44 


The    Care    of  Animals 


the  rabbits  from  burrowing  out,  the  walls  must  be  car- 
ried down  deep  into  the  earth,  or  else  the  floor  of  the 
yards    must    be    paved    or   covered  with    chicken- wire. 


Fig.  13.    Belgian  hares 

Rabbits  are  fond  of  burrowing,  and  it  is  therefore 
generally  considered  beneficial  to  have  the  floors  of  dr^^ 
earth.  If  the  pens  are  kept  well  littered  with  straw  or 
similar  material,  the  animals  seldom  dig  much,  but  if 
they  once  get  access  to  the  earth  they  will  burrow  rapidly. 


Babbits   and   Hares  •    45 

A  yard  sixteen  by  twenty  feet  will  accommodate 
twenty  rabbits,  or  even  more.  A  part  of  the  yard 
should  be  covered  in  some  way  to  afford  shade.  In 
connection  with  the  yard,  a  honse  five  by  eight  feet 
should  be  constructed;  it  should  be  well  ventilated  and 
lighted,  with  the  window  so  arranged  that  it  can  be 
darkened.  The  entrance  from  the  yard  to  the  house 
should  be  through  about  two  lengths  of  five -inch  tile, 
one  joint  inclining  downward  from  the  yard  and  the 
second  joint  inclined  upward  into  the  house.  Rabbits 
seem  to  enjoy  running  through  a  tunnel.  It  is  useful 
in  preventing  the  entrance  of  cats,  as  they  will  seldom 
crawl  through  a  long  tunnel  of  this  character.  Should 
dogs  gain  entrance  to  a  yard  they  will  usually  dig  at 
the  end  of  the  tile  rather  than  attempt  to  dig  under 
the  wall.  Straw  can  be  used  for  litter  in  the  house, 
but  it  should  be  removed  frequently  and  burned. 

During  the  winter  months  rabbits  and  Belgian  hares 
can  be  fed  clover  or  alfalfa  hay,  oats,  apples,  cabbages 
and  other  materials  of  this  character.  The  pens  should 
be  cleaned  frequently  and  disinfected  with  a  five  per 
cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid  every  month  or  six 
weeks  to  prevent  infectious  diseases  and  to  destroy 
parasites. 

In  breeding  rabbits,  one  buck  is  usually  sufficient 
for  twenty  does.  The  buck  and  the  does  should  be 
kept  separate.  When  a  doe  is  about  to  give  birth  to 
young,  she  should  be  separated  from  the  others  until 
the  litter  is  two  weeks  old.  When  the  bucks  get  to 
be  two  months  old  they  should  be  castrated,  or  they 
will  fight  each  other  and  will  not  fatten  readily. 


46    *  The    Care   of  Animals 

CAVIES   OR   GUINEA   PIGS 

The  cavy  or  Guinea  pig  makes  an  admirable  pet, 
and  it  may  be  used  as  food.  It  is  a  prolific  breeder. 
It  occurs  in  great  variety  of  color  and  texture  of  fur. 
Cavies  are  easily  kept  and  are  free  from  the  strong 
odor  that  characterizes  rabbits.  When  it  is  necessary 
to  keep  the  pet  animals  in  a  small  yard  or  even  in 
the  house  or  barn,  the  Guinea  pig  is  preferable  to  the 
rabbit.  The  food  it  requires  is  practically  the  same 
as  for  rabbits,  with  bread  and  milk  and  table  scraps. 
Fresh  water  should  be  supplied  often  to  rabbits  and 
Guinea  pigs,  and  the  quarters  always  should  be  kept 
clean  and  dry. 

When  rabbits  and  Guinea  pigs  are  kept  in  large 
numbers  and  the  quarters  are  not  well  cared  for,  an 
infectious  pneumonia  or  blood-poisoning  often  breaks 
out  among  them  and  destroys  large  numbers.  In  case 
such  a  disease  appears,  the  uninfected  animals  should 
be  removed  to  a  clean,  dry  place.  The  old  quarters 
should  be  thoroughly  cleaned,  then  disinfected  with  a 
5  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid,  and  after  being 
thoroughly  dried  should  be  whitewashed  or  painted 
before  other  animals  are  placed  in  them. 

PET    POULTRY 

Most  children  are  fond  of  pet  animals.  The  pets  are 
not  only  a  source  of  much  enjoyment  but  are  of  real 
educational  value.  Pet  animals  instil  a  love  for  nature 
and   a   respect    for   the   feelings   and    rights   of   other 


Pet   Poultry  47 

beings.  The  necessary  feeding,  handling  and  care 
develop  the  feeling  of  responsibility  that  is  of  great 
importance  in  the  training  of  children.  The  essential 
requirements  in  children's  pets  are  that  they  should  be 
docile,  attractive,  cleanly   and  easily  cared  for.     They 


Fig.   14.     Brahma  and  chicks 

should  not  be  very  delicate,  else  they  cannot  be  easily 
raised  with  a  moderate  amount  of  attention.  Pets 
should  also  be  such  as  are  adapted  to  the  surroundings. 
Pet  poultry,  as  a  rule,  meets  the  requirements  more 
fully  than  other  animals. 

Chickens  and  some  other  poultry  can  be  kept  in 
small  numbers  almost  anywhere,  if  a  small  plot  of  ground 
is  available,  or  even  in  a  barn.  The  food  is  readily 
procured,   the  birds  are  easily  cared   for,  and  returns 


48 


The    Care   of  Animals 


come  quickly.  Of  the  various  breeds  of  poultry  that 
combine  beauty  with  economic  value,  the  Gold  or 
Silver  Spangled  Hamburgs  can  scarcely  be  excelled. 
The  Bantams  are  very  attractive  to  children,  but  their 
general  utility  is  impaired  by   their  small  size. 


B 

Fig.  15.     Ducks  with  a  hen  mother 

Children  should  be  consulted  in  the  arrangement  of 
quarters;  and  the  devising  of  locations  for  the  nests 
can  be  left  largely  to  them.  It  is  a  source  of  delight 
to  arrange  nests  or  to  find  those  that  the  hens  have 
located,  and  the  gathering,  caring  for  and  disposal  of 
the  eggs  is  an  interesting  and  important  training.  The 
selection  of  eggs  for  hatching,  the  setting  of  the  hen 
and  her  care  during  the  sitting  period,  the  evidence  of 


Pet    Poultry  49 

the  young  chicks  in  the  shell,  "pipping"  of  the  egg, 
the  bursting  of  the  shell  and  appearance  of  the  active 
fluffy  little  chicks  are  constant  sources  of  wonder  and 
expectation.  The  care  of  the  mother- hen  and  her 
brood  is  perhaps  the  most  interesting  to  children.  The 
motherly  solicitude  of  the  hen  for  her  chicks  and  the 
care  and  protection  she  gives  her  brood  appeal  to 
childish   sympathies. 

When  it  is  desirable  to  make  pets  of  chickens  so  that 
they  can  be  readily  handled,  j'oung  chicks  should  be 
selected  and  the  child  be  allowed  to  train  them  by  care- 
ful handling.  Chickens  are  easily  taught  simple  lessons. 
To  do  this  a  little  attractiv^e  food  is  the  best  means  of 
training  them  to  respond  to  simple  demands.  Care  is 
required  in  handling  chickens  in  order  to  avoid  hurting 
them,  as  pain  soon  makes  them  timid.  The  proper 
method  of  handling  is  to  catch  the  chicken  either  by 
the  legs  or  between  the  outspread  hands.  The  chicken 
can  be  carried  by  tucking  it  under  the  right  arm,  in  the 
upright  position  with  the  head  forward.  Avoid  injur- 
ing the  chicken  by  carrying  with  the  head  downward 
or  holding  by  the  wings. 

Chickens  are  so  easily  and  quickly  reared  that  the 
children  may  easily  be  set  to  experimenting  with  differ- 
ent kinds.  For  efficiency,  however,  one  kind  is  prefer- 
able to  many.  See  that  the  quarters  are  light,  warm 
and  airy,  and  do  not  confine  the  food  to  grain  alone. 


Jk^ 

>4 

^ 

-^i 

^^Bm^C^^ 

/*! 

^5     l^b 
/^  1 

1 

f 

$ 

30-} 

1: 

1 

J 

.f^ 

' 

Fig.  16.    The  Pakt.s  op  a  Horse 


1.  Muzzle 

2.  Nostril 

3.  Forehead 

4.  Face 

5.  Cheek 

6.  Poll 

7.  Crest 

8.  Neck 

9.  Shoulder 

10.  Point  of  shoulder 

11.  Breast 

12.  Elbow 


13.  Fore-arm 

14.  Knee 

15.  Cannon  bone 

16.  Fetlock 

17.  Pastern 

18.  Hoof 

19.  Withers 

20.  Back 

21.  Ribs  — side  of  chest 

22.  Belly 

23.  Flank 
34.  Croup 


25.  Dock 

26.  Point 

27.  Haunch 
.28.  Tail 

29.  Stifle 

30.  Gaskin 

31.  Hock 

32.  Point  of  hock 

33.  Cannon  bone 

34.  Fetlock 

35.  Pastern 

36.  Hoof 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   HORSE  — JUDGING  AND   HANDLING 

The  ability  to  judge  horses  and  to  determine  their 
relative  values  for  definite  purposes  is  usually  acquired 
only  by  experience.  There  is  no  short-cut  way  of  de- 
terming  the  merits  or  soundness  of  a  horse.  The  horse- 
man must  familiarize  himself  thoroughl}^  with  the 
animal;  and  the  better  he  likes  a  horse  the  better  judge 
he  will  be.  Some  points  which  are  recognized  as  impor- 
tant by  good  judges  are  mentioned  below.  These  points 
are,  of  course,  not  infallible,  but  they  may  be  suggestive 
to  the  novice. 

AGE 

The  age  of  a  horse  determines,  in  a  general  way, 
the  limit  of  its  usefulness.  Still,  it  is  not  always  a 
sure  guide  to  follow.  A  well-preserved  horse,  of  good 
disposition  and  nervous  temperament,  is  often  younger 
at  sixteen,  as  far  as  activity  and  usefulness  go,  than 
many  another  horse  is  at  eight.  But  the  average  horse 
has  reached  the  limit  of  his  usefulness  at  twenty  years 
of  age.  Exceptional  cases  may  not  have  entirely  out- 
lived their  usefulness  at  thirty,  and  instances  are  re- 
corded of  horses  having  lived  for  more  than  fifty  years. 

A  horse's  age  is  commonly  determined  by  an  exam- 
ination of  the  individual  teeth.     This  is  usually  an  ac- 

(51) 


52  The    Care   of  Animals 

curate  method  until  the  tenth  or  twelfth  year.  After 
this  period  the  general  appearance  of  the  teeth  and  the 
bones  of  the  head  are  relied  upon  in  determining  age. 
In  colts,  the  bones  of  the  face  and  lower  jaw  have  a 
full,  rounded  appearance,  because  the  roots  of  the  teeth 
extend  far  into  the  bone.  The  face  graduall}^  becomes 
more  (concave  on  the  sides,  the  lower  jaw  thinner  from 
si(Je  to  side,  and  the  lower  edge  much  sharper.  The 
hollows  above  the  horse's  eyes  become  deeper,  and  the 
bones  more  prominent,  due  to  the  absorption  of  fat  from 
this  region.  Unscrupulous  horse -jockeys  sometimes 
make  a  small  incision  through  the  skin  and  fill  up  this 
depression  by  blowing  it  full  of  air.  This  practice  is 
commonly  called  "puffing  the  glims."  It  is  a  deception 
that  is  easily  recognized.  As  horses  get  older  there  is 
a  tendency  for  the  hair  to  turn  gray  in  the  region  of  the 
muzzle  and  the  eyes,  and  there  is  a  general  appearance 
of  advancing  age  that  is  difficult  to  describe. 

THE   TEETH    OF   THE    HORSE 

In  the  mature  horse's  mouth,  the  teeth  which  are 
used  for  biting  the  food  are  twelve  in  number,  six 
in  each  jaw.  They  are  situated  just  within  the  lips, 
and  are  called  the  incisors.  The  molars,  or  grinders, 
are  the  large  double  teeth,  wdiose  function  it  is  to  mas- 
ticate, or  grind,  the  food.  There  are  twenty -four  of 
these,  six  in  each  half  of  both  upper  and  lower  jaws. 
In  males,  there  is  an  extra  tooth  called  the  canine,  or 
"bridle"  tooth  on  each  half  jaw,  in  the  space  between 
the  incisors  and  the  molars.    These  are  sometimes  found 


Names    of  the    Teeth  53 

in  mares,  but  are  usually  small  and  not  well  developed. 
In  a  complete  set  of  teeth,  the  mare  has  thirty-six,  and 
the  horse  forty.  Small,  extra  molars  are  sometimes 
found  in  front  of  the  first  molars  on  the  upper  jaw, 
(rarely  on  the  lower),  commonly  called  "wolf  teeth." 

The  molar  teeth  are  distinguished  by  numbering 
them  from  before  backwards,  and  hy  using  the  terras 
right  and  left, — as,  the  third  right  upper  molar.  The 
incisor  teeth  are  named  according  to  their  position:  the 
two  teeth  occupying  the  middle  are  called  the  central 
incisors  ;  one  on  either  side  of  these  is  called  a  lateral 
incisor;  the  two  outer  ones,  one  on  either  side,  are 
called  the  corner  incisors. 

A  horse  has  two  sets  of  teeth.  The  temporary,  or 
"milk"  set,  twenty-four  in  number,  consists  of  twelve 
incisors  and  twelve  molars.  There  are  three  incisors 
and  three  molars  in  each  half  of  each  jaw.  These  dif- 
fer from  the  permanent  set  described  above  by  being 
smaller,  whiter,  and  having  a  well-defined  constriction, 
or  neck,  at  the  gum. 

The  temporary  teeth  in  colts  are  erupted,  or  "cut ,"  as 
follows:  At  birth  a  colt  has  three  temporary  molars  on 
each  jaw  and  the  two  central  incisors  or  "nippers." 
They  may  be  covered  by  thin  skin,  which  breaks  within 
a  day  or  two.  The  lateral  incisors  on  both  jaws  are 
erupted  at  four  to  six  weeks,  and  the  corner  incisoi-s 
at  six  to  ten  months.  Thus,  at  one  year  old  the  colt 
has   a  full  set  of  twenty -four  temporary  teeth. 

The  temporarj^  incisors  are  replaced  by  permanent 
teeth,  as  follows:  The  two  central  incisors  are  shed  at 
about  two  and  a  half  years,   and  the   permanent  ones 


54 


The    Care   of  Animals 


r( 


I." 


Fig.  17.     Horse's  teeth  at  four  years  of  age 


are  up   ~in  wear"  at  three  j-ears.     The  hiteral   incisors 
are  shed  at   three  and  a  half  years  and  the  permanent 
ones   are   up   and    in   wear   at  four   years.     The  corner 
incisors    are    shed   at   four   and    a    half    and    the    per- 
manent ones   are  up 
and  in  wear  at  five. 
(Fig.  17). 

The  molars  are 
erupted  and  replaced 
as  follows  :  The 
fourth  molar  on  each 
jaw  (which  is  always 
a  permanent  molar) 
is  erupted  at  ten  to 
JK  .^       twelve    months;    the 

^^  ^tfm       fifth  permanent  mo- 

lar, at  two  to  two 
and  a  half  years, 
and  the  sixth  usually 
at  four  and  a  half 
to  five.  The  first 
and  second  molars, 
which  are  tempo- 
rary, are  shed  and  re- 
placed by  permanent 
ones  at  two  to  two  and  a  half  years  of  age.  The  third 
temporary  molar  is  replaced  by  a  permanent  one  at  about 
the  age  of  three  and  a  half  years.  In  males,  the  canine 
or  "bridle"  teeth  are  erupted  at  about  four  and  a  half 
years  of  age.  A  five-year-old  colt  has  a  "full  mouth" 
of     permanent    teeth    (Fig.     18),    and    at     this    age 


Fig.  18.     Horse's  teeth  at  five  years  of  age 


Horse^s    Teeth 


55 


a  colt  becomes  a  horse  and  a  filly  becomes  a  mare. 
The  temporary  teeth  are  usually  shed  easily;  the  per- 
manent teeth  pushing  up  from  below  cause  the  roots  of 
the  temporary  ones  to  be  absorbed,  until  they  finally 
become  mere"  caps," 
attached  to  the  gum. 
Sometimes  the  tem- 
porary corner  in- 
cisors are  extracted 
in  order  to  make  a 
colt  or  a  filly  appear 
older  than  it  is. 
Such  a  practice  is  not 
to  be  commended. 

When  the  perma- 
nent incisors  are  first 
erupted,  well-defined 
"date -cavities"  exist 
in  their  upper  sur- 
faces. These  cavi- 
ties, dark  brown  or 
black  in  color,  nar- 
row from  before  back 
and  wide  from  side  to 
side,  extend  quite  a 
depth  into  the  tooth.  Each  date -cavity  is  surrounded 
by  a  very  narrow  band  of  enamel,  which  can  be 
distinguished  from  the  yellower  dentine  that  com- 
poses most  of  the  substance  of  the  tooth.  The  date- 
cavities  wear  out  and  disappear  from  the  lower  incisors 
at  the  followine:  ages:    From  the  lower  central  incisors 


Fig.  20.     Horse's  teeth  at  seven  years  of  age 


56 


The    Care    of  Animals 


Fig.  21.     Horse's  teeth  at  eight  years  of  age 


the  cavity  has  largely  disappeared  at  six  years  (Fig. 
19),  the  lateral  at  seven  years  (Fig.  20)  and  the  corners 
at  eight  years  of  age  (Fig.   21).     The   date -cavities  in 

the  incisors  of  the 
upper  jaw  do  not  dis- 
appear as  regularly  as 
the  lower,  and  are  less 
to  be  depended  upon. 
In  general,  the  date- 
cavities  disappear 
from  the  central  up- 
per incisors  from  nine  to  nine  and  a  half  j'cars;  from 
the  lateral  upper  incisors  from  ten  to  ten  and  a  half; 
and  from  the  upper  corner  incisors  from  eleven  to  twelve 
years.  Date -cavities  sometimes  persist  in  the  upper 
incisors  for  a  longer  period,  especially  in  horses  that  are 
stall-fed.  In  examining  date -cavities,  a  careful  com- 
parison with  the  preceding  and  succeeding  years  should 
always  be  made.  After  a  date -cavity  is  worn  out,  a 
small  black  spot  called  a  "dental  star"  remains,  and 
frequently  a  small 
cavity,  which  should 
not  be  mistaken  for  a 
date -cavity. 

In  young  horses, 
the  incisor  teeth  are 
broad    from    side    to 

side,  and  approach  the  perpendicular  with  reference 
to  the  jaw.  As  the  horse  gets  older,  the  incisors  wear 
down,  becoming  narrower  from  side  to  side  and 
wider  from   before  back,  so  that  the  upper  surface  of 


Fig. 


Horse's  teeth  at  ten  years  of  age 


Teeth    of  Horses    and    Cattle  57 

the  tooth  presents  a  triangular  outline.  The  incisor 
teeth  also  tend  to  become  more  horizontal,  causing  the 
profile  of  the  incisors  to  become  "chisel -shaped."  As 
horses  get  older,  the  teeth  grow  up  and  out  of  the  jaw- 
bone, until  in  aged  horses  the  molar  teeth  may  become 
old  "snags,"  so  loosely  attached  to  the  jaw  that  they 
may  be  moved  with  the  fingers  or  may  drop  out.  A 
deception  that  was  formerly  practiced,  but  is  seldom 
met  with  at  the  present,  was  commonly  called  "bishop- 
ing."  This  consisted  in  cutting  artificial  date -cavities 
in  the  incisors,  and  blackening  them  with  a  hot  iron. 
The  shape  of  the 
tooth,  and  the  ab- 
sence of  the  ring  of 
enamel  should  ren- 
der  deception    by 

such     a     practice    im-       ^.^^  23.    Horse's  teeth  at  sixteen  years  of  age 

possible. 

In  order  to  be  able  to  determine  the  age  of  horses,  a 
careful  comparative  study  should  be  made  of  the  teeth 
of  animals  whose  ages  are  definitely  known. 

CONTRASTS   WITH    CATTLE 

In  cattle,  there  are  eight  incisor  teeth  on  the  lower 
jaw,  and  none  on  the  upper.  The  two  central  incisors 
are  named  as  in  the  horse;  the  next  two,  one  on  either 
side  of  the  central  incisors,  are  called  internal  laterals; 
the  next  two,  one  on  either  side  of  these,  are  called  the 
external  laterals;  the  remaining  two  are  called  the 
corners. 


58  The    Care    of  Animals 

The  temporary  incisors  in  cattle  are  erupted,  or  cut, 
as  follows:  The  central  incisors  or  nippers  are  up  at 
birth,  the  internal  lateral  at  one  week  old,  the  external 
lateral  at  two  weeks,  and  the  corner  incisors  at  three 
weeks  old.  They  are  replaced  by  permanent  incisors 
approximately  as  follows,  though  they  vary  much  more 
than  in  the  colt :  The  central  incisors  are  replaced 
at  twelve  to  eighteen  months;  the  internal  laterals  at 
about  two  and  a  half  years  ;  the  external  laterals  at 
three  to  three  and  a  half  years;  and  the  corner  incisors 
at  about  three   and   a   half  years. 

In  horned  cattle,  a  ring  of  the  horn  makes  its  ap- 
pearance at  three  years  of  age,  and  a  new  ring  is  added 
annually  thereafter. 

COLOR    OF    HORSES 

In  selecting  horses,  the  color  is  largely  a  matter  of  per- 
sonal preference;  but,  other  things  being  equal,  horses 
of  decided  dark  color  are  preferable.  A  blood  bay, 
mahogany  brown,  dark  chestnut  and  black  are  usually 
given  preference  in  the  order  named.  The  objection  to 
white  or  light -colored  horses  is  the  difficulty  in  keeping 
them  clean,  the  looks  of  light  hair  upon  dark  clothing 
when  the  animals  are  shedding  their  coats,  and  the 
fact  that  such  animals  are  subject  to  melanotic  tumors 
of  the  skin.  Horses  having  white  noses  and  muzzles  are 
liable  to  inflammation  of  the  skin  in  this  region  when 
turned  out  to  pasture.  A  color  that  will  not  bleach 
when  exposed  to  the  sun  or  weather  is  desirable. 

A  matched  team  is  made  up  of  horses  of  the  same 


Judging   a    Horse  59 

s-ize,  color,  action,  temperament  and  general  appear- 
ance. A  "cross  matched"  team  is  one  that  is  well 
matched  except  as  to  color,  the  two  horses  being  of  con- 
trasting or  complementary  colors,  which  render  each 
other  more  vivid  when  placed  together;  such  as  white 
and  black,  or  chestnut  and  white. 

STYLE 

Another  desirable  quality  to  look  for  in  judging  a 
horse,  and  one  which  adds  greatly  to  its  value,  is  the 
"action"  and  style  of  the  animal.  A  horse  that  looks, 
acts  and  walks  as  if  he  "owned  the  earth"  will  bring  a 
great  deal  more  money  upon  the  market  than  a  similar 
horse  with  all  the  good  qualities  but  this  one.  Action 
does  not  mean  speed,  but  implies  quick,  dainty,  stylish 
movements.  The  purpose  for  which  a  horse  is  intended 
should  always  be  kept  prominently  in  mind  in  passing 
judgment  upon  it.  The  above  statements  may  not 
apply  to  draft  horses. 

POINTS   IN   HORSES 

The  following  are  some  of  the  points  that  are  con- 
sidered to  be  desirable  in  horses; 

The  head  should  be  of  moderate  size,  and  well  hung 
on  the  neck,  the  angle  between  the  lower  jaw  and  the 
neck  approaching  a  right  angle.  If  it  is  more  than  a 
right  angle,  the  nose  protrudes  as  if  the  horse  has  a  sore 
throat  or  poll-evil;  if  less  than  a  right  angle,  it  gives  a 
cramped  appearance  to  the  neck.     The  forehead  should 


60  Tlie    Care    of  Animals 

be  broad,  the  nose  straigfht,  the  sides  of  the  face  slightly 
dished,  the  cranial  bones  well  rounded,  and  the  eye  full, 
bright  and  prominent.  Horses  with  small  "bullet"  eyes 
look  better  when  driven  with  blinders  on.  If  the  nose 
is  too  concave,  the  horse  is  said  to  be  "dish -faced,"  and 
if  too  convex,  a  Roman  nose  results.  The  nostrils 
should  be  large  and  easily  dilated,  the  lips  firm  and  fine, 
and  the  cheek  well  muscled.  The  ears  should  be  of 
moderate  size,  fine,  tapering  and  mobile,  approaching 
each  other  at  the  tips  when  erect.  If  the  ears  are  too 
small  they  have  a  stubby  look;  if  too  large,  they  are 
mulish  in  appearance.  A  lop-eared  horse  is  liable  to 
have  a  contrary,  morose  disposition,  or  worse.  The  ex- 
pression of  the  e^e,  ear  and  countenance  gives  promi- 
nent indications  of  the  character  and  disposition  of  the 
animal.  The  neck  should  be  of  medium  size  and  length, 
the  skin  fine,  and  the  muscles  of  the  neck  should  have  a 
firm,  "cordy"  feel  to  the  hand.  A  neck  slightly  arched 
at  the  crest  is  usually  desired;  a  thick,  coarse  one  is 
commonly  called  a  "bull  neck";  if  too  long  and  slender, 
or  too  greatly  arched,  a  "peacock"  neck;  and  if  concave 
on  upper  outline,  a  "ewe"  neck.  The  back  should  be 
moderately  straight,  short,  and  well  muscled  ;  such  a 
horse  is  said  to  be  "well  coupled."  If  the  back  is  too 
straight  or  convex,  the  animal  is  said  to  have  a  "roach" 
back,  and  if  too  concave  a  "sway"  back.  The  croup 
should  be  slightly  rounded  and  sloping,  the  tail  should  be 
well  hung  and  carried  in  a  dainty  manner.  Horsemen 
usually  prefer  that  the  tail  or  "dock"  should  be  held 
stiffly  by  the  animal  when  an  attempt  is  made  to  lift  it 
with  the  hand,  as  this  is  thought  to  indicate  stamina. 


Judging    a   Horse  61 

Horses  intended  for  speed  should  stand  high  behind. 
Tlie  withers  should  be  firm  and  moderately  thin,  the 
shoulders  should  be  well  muscled  and  preferably  slop- 
ing. In  horses  intended  for  draft  purposes,  moderately 
sloping  shoulders  are  preferable.  The  fore -arm  should 
be  well  muscled,  the  muscles  and  tendons  of  the  leg  firm 
and  prominent.  The  bones  should  be  round  and  fine, 
the  joints  of  good  size  and  the  leg  moderately  wide 
from  before  back.  The  skin  should  be  fine  and  should 
lie  close  to  the  bones  and  sinews  of  the  leg.  The  chest 
should  be  broad,  deep  and  strongly  muscled.  The  ribs 
should  be  "well  sprung,"  that  is,  coming  well  out  at 
right  angles  from  the  back -bone,  thus  giving  the  horse 
a  good  round  barrel,  which  furnishes  room  for  the  lungs 
and  digestive  organs.  A  horse  lacking  in  this  capacity 
is  said  to  be  "slab-sided"  and  "washy,"  and  usually 
lacks  stamina.  The  horse  should  not  be  "tucked  up'' 
in  the  flanks,  and  the  hips  should  be  strongly  muscled, 
because  it  is  here  that  most  of  the  power  is  required, 
either  for  speed  or  for  draft  purposes.  The  legs  should 
be  well  placed  and  the  bones  well  directed,  making  the 
proper  angles  at  the  various  joints.  A  horse  intended 
for  draft  purposes  should  be  "built  close  to  the  ground." 
In  all  horses,  the  coat  should  be  fine  and  short,  the  skin 
thin  and  soft  to  the  touch,  showing  the  large  veins 
clearly.  In  all  horses,  except  Clydesdale  and  Shires, 
the  legs  should  be  comparatively  free  from  long  coarse 
hair.  The  mane  and  tail  should  be  of  moderate 
length  and  thickness,  fine  and  silky,  the  tail  being 
especially  important,  because  of  the  character  and  rtyle 
which  it  gives  to  the  general  appearance  of  the  animal. 


62  The    Care    of  Animals 

UNSOUNDNESS    IN    HORSES 

A  horse  is  considered  practically  sound  when  it 
possesses  no  disease,  deformity  or  vice  that  will  in- 
terfere with  its  general  or  special  usefulness.  Soundness 
is  important,  not  only  to  those  who  deal  in  horses,  but 
to  those  who  raise  and  own  them,  because  its  sound- 
ness, together  with  the  general  appearance  of  the  animal, 
indicates  its  relative  commercial  value.  A  person  who 
contemplates  purchasing  a  horse,  if  he  is  not  thoroughly 
familiar  with  the  subject,  will  usually  find  it  a  matter  of 
economy  to  employ  an  expert  to  assist  in  the  selection, 
or  he  will  purchase  of  some  well-known  dealer  whose 
judgment  and  whose  "word"  are  worthy  of  dependence. 
The  ordinary  individual  is  likely  to  pride  himself 
upon  his  ability  to  judge  horses  and  to  determine  their 
soundness  or  unsoundness;  and  yet  there  is  probably 
no  one  experience  in  which  individuals  are  more  likely 
to  be  deceived  than  in  this.  Horse-dealers  of  wide  ex- 
perience usually  make  allowances  in  their  judgment  of 
a  horse  for  defects  which  cannot  be  determined  by  an 
ordinary  examination,  but  are  likely  to  show  themselves 
only  after  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  animal.  As 
a  general  thing,  the  purchaser  sees  a  horse  at  its  very 
best,  as  regards  appearance,  condition,  speed  and  free- 
dom from  defects  and  vices,  and  should  take  this  into 
account  in  estimating  the  value  of  the  animal.  In 
examining  animals  as  to  their  soundness,  experienced 
judges  do  not  allow  themselves  to  be  misled,  or  their 
attention  to  be  distracted  from  any  part  of  the  animal, 
either  by  the  owner  or  by  bystanders.     An  excellent 


Judging    a   Horse  63 

judge  of  horses  once  said,  "If  the  owner  or  a  bystander 
calls  my  attention  to  a  possible  defect  about  the  horse's 
head,  I  always  make  it  a  point  to  give  the  opposite  ex- 
tremity a  most  thorough  examination."  It  is  a  trick 
frequently  resorted  to  by  unscrupulous  dealers  to  call  a 
man's  attention  to  a  part  he  knows  to  be  sound,  in 
order  to  attract  his  attention  from  an  unsoundness  in 
another  part.  In  considering  statements  made  by  horse- 
dealers,  especial  care  should  be  given  not  only  to  the 
statement,  but  to  the  reasons  why  the  statement  is 
made. 

When  possible,  it  is  always  a  good  plan  to  examine 
horses  in  the  stable  under  their  ordinarj^  conditions, 
then  to  take  them  out  where  the  light  and  other  condi- 
tions are  favorable  and  go  over  thoroughly  every  part 
of  the  horse  until  one  is  satisfied  of  its  freedom  from 
unsoundness.  After  thoroughly  manipulating  every 
part,  the  horse  should  be  tested  in  his  paces  for  any 
defect  in  locomotion  or  breathing,  and  afterwards  he 
should  be  tested  as  to  his  ability  to  eat  and  drink 
normally.  In  examining  horses  for  soundness,  it  is 
generally  assumed  that  the  horse  has  every  defect,  de- 
formity and  vice  that  horse-flesh  is  heir  to,  and  the 
presence  or  absence  of  these  defects  is  demonstrated  by 
thorough  examinations  and  tests. 

WARRANTY 

A  person  that  warrants  a  horse  sound,  either  by  a 
written  or  verbal  warranty,  renders  himself  liable,  and 
the  purchaser  can  recover  damages  sustained.     Persons 


64  The    Care    of  Animals 

in  selling  horses  should  exercise  care  in  warranting  a 
horse  sound,  either  directly  or  by  the  use  of  language 
that  implies  a  warranty;  for  if  the  purchaser  takes  the 
horse  on  the  strength  of  such  representations  and  the 
horse  proves  to  be  unsound,  the  seller  is  himself  respon- 
sible. A  distinction  is  usually  made  between  those  cases 
in  which  the  purchaser  buys  the  horse  on  the  strength 
of  the  representations  made  by  the  owner,  and  those 
cases  in  which  the  purchaser  assumes  to  know  about  the 
horse,  and  buys  on  his  own  judgment  and  responsibility. 
It  is  usually  economy  to  purchase  of  a  reliable  person 
and,  if  possible,  on  a  trial  of  a  week  or  more.  Whether 
justly  or  not,  it  has  come  to  be  proverbial  that  the 
horse  trader  is  "tricky." 

EXAMINATION    OF   HORSE    IN    STABLE 

In  examining  the  horse  in  the  stable,  do  not  disturb 
him  at  first,  but  watch  him  closely  for  a  few  moments; 
he  will  be  likely  soon  to  show  any  stable  vices  that  he 
may  possess.  Among  vices  to  be  looked  for  is  "weav- 
ing," a  habit  which  some  horses  have  of  swinging  the 
head  or  body  from  side  to  side,  often  for  an  hour  at  a 
time,  especially  when  not  eating.  Cribbing  and  wind- 
sucking  are  other  vices  which  should  be  carefully  looked 
for.  Kicking  in  the  stall,  and  crowding  an  attendant 
against  the  side  of  the  stall  are  vices.  Some  horses 
have  the  bad  habit  of  kicking  at  the  side  of  the  stall. 
Persistent  pawing  is  also  to  be  looked  for.  The  horse 
should  be  made  to  "stand  over"  by  gentle  pressure 
against  the  hip,  when  he  will  frequently  show  signs  of 


Examining   a   Horse  65 

chorea,  or  stringhalt.  A  comraon  symptom  of  this  dis- 
ease is  the  apparent  inability  of  the  horse  to  lift  the 
foot  of  the  affected  hind  leg, — the  foot  is  seemingly 
glued  fast  to  the  floor.  After  a  considerable  effort,  the 
horse  gets  the  foot  loose,  lifts  it  high  and  mov?s  over 
with  a  kind  of  straddling  hop.  These  symptoms  are 
not  shown  when  the  horse  is  made  to  jump  suddenly  by 
the  cut  of  a  whip  or  slap  of  the  hand;  therefore  such 
actions  about  a  horse  should  be  looked  upon  wdth  sus- 
picion. It  should  also  be  noticed  w^hether  the  horse 
stands  squarely  on  his  feet,  or  "points"  a  foot  to  get 
relief  from  lameness  or  soreness  in  the  part.  Halter- 
pulling  is  another  vice  which  it  is  difficult  to  detect.  A 
sudden  movement  about  the  horse's  head,  which  startles 
him,  will  usually  cause  him  to  fly  back  on  the  halter,  if 
he  possesses  this  vice.  Horses  that  are  very  strongly 
tied  by  ropes  or  similar  arrangements  about  the  head 
should  be  regarded  with  suspicion. 

EXAMINING   OUT    OF   DOORS 

After  the  horse  has  been  examined  in  the  stall,  he 
should  be  led  out  on  level  ground  where  the  light  is 
good,  and  every  part  of  the  body  should  be  examined 
for  defects  and  disease.  It  is  usually  a  good  plan  to 
begin  at  one  nostril  and  to  go  over  the  whole  side  of  the 
animal;  then,  returning  to  the  opposite  nostril,  to  ex- 
amine the  other  side.  The  nostril  should  be  examined 
for  any  sign  of  glanders,  or  other  suspicious  discharges. 
The  mucous  membranes  lining  the  nostril  should  be  of  a 
healthy  rose -pink  color,  free  from  ulcers,  scars  or  dis- 


66  The    Care    of  Animals 

agreeable  odor.  Any  signs  of  a  recent  cleaning  of  the 
nostril,  a  dull  lead  color,  or  irritated  condition  of  the 
mucous  membrane  should  be  regarded  with  suspicion. 
The  mouth  should  be  examined  as  to  age  and  freedom 
from  decayed,  split,  ulcerated  or  irregular  teeth.  The 
saliva  should  be  free  from  any  disagreeable  odor.  The 
tongue  should  be  normal,  held  in  position,  and  free 
•from  scars.  A  scarred  tongue  is  indicative  of  the  use 
of  a  harsh  bit  to  control  him,  and  is  always  to  be  care- 
fully considered.  The  incisor  teeth  should  be  examined 
for  parrot  mouth  and  signs  of  cribbing,  the  latter  being 
shown  by  the  edges  of  the  teeth  being  worn  away,  so 
that  they  do  not  come  close  together.  The  side  of  the 
face  should  be  examined  for  running  sores  or  enlarge- 
ments that  might  come  from  diseased  teeth.  The  lower 
jaw  is  to  be  examined  for  the  same  condition,  and,  in 
addition,  for  an  opening  or  fistula  of  Steno's  duct, 
which  carries  the  saliva  from  the  large  gland  below  the 
ear  and  pours  it  into  the  mouth.  This  duct  winds 
tinder  the  lower  jaw  at  the  front  edge  of  the  large 
muscle,  and  when  opened  discharges  a  clear,  watery 
fluid,  especially  when  the  horse  is  eating.  The  glands 
in  the  hollow  between  the  lower  jaws  should  also  be 
carefully  examined  as  to  their  size,  whether  tender  to 
the  touch  or  grown  fast  to  the  adjoining  tissues.  En- 
larged, adherent  glands  here  are  a  symptom  of  glanders. 
The  eye  should  be  clear  and  bright  and  free  from 
specks,  f'loudiness  or  a  well-defined  Avhite  ring  around 
the  outside  of  the  colored  iris.  By  closing  the  ej-e  with 
the  hand  and  excluding  the  light  for  a  moment,  the 
pupil  will  be  dilated  to  its  utmost  capacity;   when  the 


Examining   a   Horse  67 

hand  is  removed  and  the  light  strikes  the  eye,  the  pupil 
should  rapidly  contract  to  its  normal  size.  This  shows 
that  the  eye  is  sensitive  to  light.  Small,  irregular 
masses  of  dark  coloring  material,  commonly  called  "soot 
balls,"  are  usually  seen  at  the  edge  of  the  pupil  in  a 
horse's  eye,  and  are  often  regarded  with  suspicion  by 
those  not  familiar  with  the  appearance  of  the  eye.  They 
are  normal,  and  of  no  importance.  The  eye  should  also 
be  examined  for  auj^  signs  of  inflammation  or  abnormal 
discharges  from  the  inner  corner.  Persistent  discharges 
from  the  eye  usually  scald  the  skin  and  cause  the  hair 
to  be  shed  in  this  region. 

The  throat  should  be  examined  for  any  thickness  or 
enlargement,  especially  of  the  glands  which  form  a 
goiter.  The  top  of  the  head  and  neck  should  be  ex- 
amined for  poll -evil,  for  swellings  of  any  kind,  and  to 
determine  whether  or  not  the  horse  will  allow  a  bridle 
or  halter  to  be  put  on  readily.  The  mane  should  be 
thrown  over  and  the  side  of  the  neck  carefully  examined 
for  fistulfe  or  running  sores,  tumors  or  swellings  of 
any  kind.  Brands  should  also  be  looked  for  here. 
The  letters  I.  C.  on  the  neck  indicate  that  the  animal 
has  been  inspected  and  condemned  in  service  in  the 
U.  S.  Army  for  unsoundness,  vices,  or  inability  to  stand 
gun-fire. 

After  going  over  the  neck,  the  withers  should  be 
examined  for  fistulae,  and  the  back  for  tumors,  galls  or 
"sitfasts."  The  shoulder,  also,  should  be  examined  for 
tumors,  galls,  collar  boils  and  sweeney,  the  last  a  wast- 
ing of  the  muscles  on  the  outside  of  the  shoulder-blade. 
The  elbow  should  be  examined  for  capped  elbow,  or  shoe 


68  The    Care    of  Animals 

boil.  The  knee  should  be  examined  for  bony  enlarge- 
ments, wind  -  puffs  and  scars  on  the  front.  Scars  in 
this  region  indicate  that  the  horse  is  a  stumbler.  Look 
JQst  below  the  knee  on  the  inside  for  speedy  cuts,  scars 
or  bunches,  due  to  the  hitting  of  the  opposite  foot. 
Splints  should  also  be  felt  for,  and  looked  for  on  the 
inside  of  the  fore  leg,  and  bony  bunches  on  the  outside. 
The  front  of  the  cannon  bone  should  be  smooth  and  free 
from  bunches  and  scars.  The  back  tendons  should  be 
smooth;  if  contracted,  they  give  the  knee  a '' sprung" 
appearance,  as  the  horse  stands  squarely.  Parallel 
marks  or  scars  resulting  from  "firing"  should  be  looked 
for.  Above  the  fetlock  the  leg  should  be  examined  for 
wind -puffs  on  either  side,  just  in  front  of  the  tendons. 
The  fetlock  and  pastern  joints  should  be  examined  for 
ring-bones,  bunches  or  scars.  Small  puffy  enlarge- 
ments over  the  large  nerves  which  pass  down  toward 
the  back  of  the  fetlock  and  along  the  edge  of  the  ten- 
dons, below  the  fetlock,  indicate  the  injection  of  co- 
caine, which  is  done  to  disguise  lameness  temporarily. 
Scars  in  these  places  on  both  sides  of  the  leg  indicate 
that  the  horse  has  been  "nerved."  Just  at  the  top  of 
the  hoof,  on  either  side,  the  lateral  cartilages  should  be 
examined  to  see  that  they  have  not  ossified,  forming 
side  bones. 

The  foot  should  be  of  good  size  and  shape,  free  from 
rings  of  horny  growth,  the  wall  not  concave.  The  heels 
should  not  be  contracted.  The  wall  should  be  carefully 
examined  for  sand-cracks,  quarter-cracks  and  seedy -toe, 
the  last  a  softening  and  degeneration  of  the  wall  at 
the  toe  of  the  foot.     The  bottom  of  the  foot  should  be 


Examining    a   Horse  69 

examined  for  corns,  the  cleft  in  the  frog  for  thrush, 
and  the  sole  for  bulging. 

After  finishing  the  fore  leg,  the  examiner  sliould  go 
carefully  over  the  horse's  side  and  belly,  looking  for 
any  tumors,  sores,  hernia  or  ruptures.  In  the  male, 
the  penis  and  sheath  should  be  examined  for  tumors  or 
disease.  It  should  be  noted  whether  the. hair  on  the 
belly  in  front  of  the  sheath  is  normal  in  appearance,  as 
some  horses  do  not  protrude  the  penis  in  passing  urine 
and  the  skin  in  front  of  the  sheath  is  irritated  so  that  the 
hair  is  shed.  The  scrotum  in  males  should  always  be 
examined  for  tumors,  and  geldings  must  be  scrutinized 
to  be  sure  they  are  not  ridglings.  In  examining  the 
hind  legs  of  a  strange  horse,  it  is  always  well  to  take 
precautions  to  prevent  being  kicked,  by  having  an 
assistant  hold  up  one  fore  foot. 

The  muscles  of  the  hip  should  be  examined  for  scars, 
the  stifle  joint  for  any  enlargement  or  soreness  that 
would  indicate  stifle.  A  thorough  examination  should 
be  made  of  the  hock  joint,  because  of  the  number  and 
importance  of  the  defects  that  may  occur  in  this  region. 
The  back  of  the  hock  joint  should  be  examined  for 
capped  hock,  curb  and  scars  which  may  indicate  that 
the  animal  is  a  kicker.  Just  in  front  of  the  point  of 
the  hock,  look  for  thorough  -  pin.  The  hock  joint 
proper  is  to  be  examined  for  spavin,  botn  bone  spavin 
and  bog  spavin,  also  for  any  enlargements  or  any  ir- 
regularities of  movement.  Below  the  hock,  look  for 
wind -puffs,  ring-bones,  scratches  and  diseases  of  the 
foot.  After  completing  the  examination  of  one  side,  go 
over  the  opposite  side  with  equal  care. 


70  The    Care    of   Animals 

After  going  over  the  whole  horse,  the  examiner 
should  carefully  compare  corresponding  members,  as  to 
their  s^^mmetry  and  form.  The  two  hips  should  be 
compared  to  see  that  one  is  not  "knocked  down"  or 
"hipped,"  and  that  the  muscles  are  equally  developed. 
The  tail  should  be  carried  squarely;  it  should  be  handled 
and  a  line  or  rope  drawn  under  it  to  prove  that  the 
horse  is  not  vicious  in  this  regard.  The  nostrils,  lips, 
eyes  and  ears  should  be  compared,  and  any  signs  of 
paralysis  or   drooping  of   the  parts  noted. 

After  examining,  manipulating  and  comparing  the 
parts  of  the  animal,  he  should  be  thoroughlj^  tested  in 
his  paces.  He  should  be  driven,  or  led,  with  plentj^  of 
rope,  to  and  from  the  examiner,  and  then  moved  by  him 
at  a  good,  free  trot,  w^ien  anj^  signs  of  lameness  or 
peculiarities  of  movement  should  be  carefully  looked 
for.  Turning  the  horse  sharply  to  the  right  or  to  the 
left,  so  as  to  bring  the  weight  alternately  on  the  right  and 
the  left  legs,  will  usually  increase  the  signs  of  lameness. 
The  horse  should  also  be  tested  as  to  his  ability  and 
willingness  to  back  a  load.  In  testing  for  the  wind,  the 
horse  should  be  allowed  a  full  drink  of  water,  and  then 
should  be  ridden  or  driven  rapidly  for  some  distance 
and  brought  to  a  sudden  stop,  close  to  the  examiner, 
who  will  look  for  any  abnormal  sounds  or  movements  in 
breathing.  A  "wind-broken"  horse  can  be  detected  by 
the  peculiar  roaring  or  whistling  made  as  the  air  is 
taken  in.  In  heaves,  there  is  usually  difficult  breathing, 
with  a  peculiar  bellows -like  motion  of  the  flank.  By 
pinching  the  animal's  throat,  the  peculiar  and  character- 
istic  grunting   cough  of    heaves   will   be   given.     The 


Fitting  for    Market  71 

horse    should  also   to    be    tested   to  determine  whether 
he  eats  and  drinks  properly. 

The  ability  to  detect  unsoundness  can  be  largely  in- 
creased by  practice  and  close  observation ;  and  yet  some 
diseases  and  vices  cannot  be  detected  by  an  ordinary  ex- 
amination, and  it  is  only  after  a  person  becomes 
familiar  with  the  animal  that  these  will  be  observed. 
In  giving  certificates  of  soundness,  the  examiner  should 
carefully  describe  the  horse  so  that  it  can  be  recognized; 
and  he  should  call  attention  to  any  peculiarities,  sears 
or  actions  that  are  unusual.  A  certificate  of  soundness 
usually  carries  with  it  considerable  responsibility,  and 
some  expert  judges  will  not  give  such  certificates  un- 
less they  know  either  the  horse  or  the  circumstances 
under  which  the  certificate  is  required.  Certificates  are 
usually  worded,  "So  far  as  I  am  able  to  determine  by 
careful  examination,  the  above  described  animal  is  free 
from  any  disease,  defect  or  vice  that  will  interfere  with 
its  intended  usefulness." 

FITTING    HORSES    FOR    MARKET 

There  are  probably  few  circumstances  in  the  care 
and  handling  of  horses  in  which  food  and  labor  will 
give  greater  returns  than  when  devoted  to  the  fitting  of 
horses  for  the  market.  Horses  intended  for  the  general 
market  should  alwaj^s  be  in  good  flesh  or  moderatelN^  fat, 
because  fat,  like  charity,  covers  a  multitude  of  defects. 
A  plump  horse  appeals  to  the  average  buyer.  In  fitting 
a  horse  for  the  market,  he  should  be  fed  an  abundance 
of   easily  digested,  nutritious  and   laxative   food.     He 


72  The    Care    of  Animals 

should  be  thoroughly  groomed  every  day  with  plenty  of 
brushing,  as  this  gives  a  sleek  and  glossy  coat  that  adds 
much  to  his  general  appearance  and  attractiveness.  The 
mane  and  tail  should  be  well  brushed  out,  and  if  the 
skin  at  the  roots  of  the  hair  is  dirty,  it  should  be  well 
washed  and  a  little  bland  oil  or  vaseline  applied.  The 
horse  should  be  exercised  briskly  for  a  short  time 
twice  daily,  enough  to  keep  him  in  good  active  condi- 
tion; he  should  be  taught  to  drive  freely  and  handily,  as 
soon  as  hitched  up,  as  he  will  then  show  to  the  best 
advantage   to  an  intended  purchaser. 

All  horses  intended  for  the  general  market  should  be 
well  "broken."  There  is  a  rather  wide -spread  opinion 
among  farmers  that  as  soon  as  a  colt  is  broken  well 
enough  to  drive  single  and  double,  it  is  sufficient  for 
market  purposes,  but  this  is  not  true.  The  extra  time 
spent  in  properly  breaking  and  training  the  horse,  will 
be  well  repaid  in  an  increased  price. 

SHIPPING    HORSES 

Horses  intended  for  shipment  should  be  in  moderate 
flesh  and  in  good  condition  so  far  as  exercise  and 
general  health  is  concerned.  The  tails  should  be  care- 
fully braided,  done  up  and  covered  with  burlaps  to  pre- 
vent their  being  injured  in  transit.  For  tvventj^-four 
hours  previous  to  shipping,  the  animals  should  be  fed 
lightly  with  laxative  food  to  overcome  the  decided 
tendency  toward  constipation  caused  by  the  excitement 
and  strain  of  shipping.  As  a  general  thing  it  is  prefer- 
able to  ship  them  barefooted,  as,  in  this  condition,  there 


Shipping   of  Horses  73 

is  less  danger  of  slipping  and  injury  to  themselves  or  to 
others.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  rasp  the  edges  of  the  hoofs 
to  prevent  their  splitting  and  breaking  off.  The  car 
should  be  thorough!}'  disinfected  and  the  floor  should 
be  well  covered  with  fine  litter  or  similar  material,  to 
absorb  moisture  and  so  to  prevent  it  from  getting  wet 
and  slippery.  Each  animal  should  be  rather  closely 
confined  by  himself,  as  there  is  less  danger  of  the 
momentum  in  starting  and  stopping  being  transmitted 
to  other  animals.  In  no  case  should  a  horse  be  loose 
with  a  great  amount  of  room,  as  he  is  likely  to  be 
thrown  about  and  injured.  Horses  should  be  fed  spar- 
ingly^ and  watered  as  frequently  as  possible  in  transit. 
They  should  be  unloaded  and  allowed  to  rest  and  be 
fed  as  often  as  practicable. 

So  far  as  possible,  large  sale  stables  in  shipping 
centers  should  be  avoided,  especially  with  "  green 
horses,"  as  these  places  are  usually  infected  with  influ- 
enza, and  the  strain  of  shipping  renders  the  horses 
peculiarly  susceptible  to  this  and  other  diseases. 

The  quarters  in  which  horses  are  confined  for  ship- 
ment should  be  well  ventilated;  there  is  little  danger  of 
the  animals'  taking  cold  if  their  bodies  are  well  protected 
by  stable  blankets.  The  injury  resulting  from  impure 
air  in  close  quarters  is  likely  to  be  much  greater  than 
that  following  undue  exposure.  If  a  horse  gets  down, 
in  transit,  he  should  be  gotten  on  his  feet  as  soon  as 
possible,  as  there  is  danger  of  the  other  horses'  tramp- 
ling and  seriously  injuring  him.  After  unloading,  the 
animals  should  be  allowed  to  rest  and  should  be  fed 
lightly  and  given  gentle  exercise  until  their  normal  con- 


74  The    Care   of  Animals 

ditiou  is  resumed.  Horses  are  sometimes  very  hungry 
when  unloaded  and  are  likely  to  overeat  and  so  bring 
on  indigestion,  which  is  aggravated  by  the  tired,  nerv- 
ous condition,  change  of  food  and  surroundings.  Small 
doses  of  saltpeter,  a  teaspoonful  twice  daily,  are  use- 
ful to  stimulate  the  kidneys,  and  to  remove  dropsical 
swellings.  Bran  mashes  should  be  given  until  the 
bowels  become  normal. 

"green"  horses 

By  the  term  "green  horses"  is  meant  horses  that 
are  rather  fat  and  not  accustomed  to  the  work,  sur- 
roundings, and  climatic  conditions  to  which  they  are 
subjected.  The  term  is  usually  applied  to  horses  that 
are  shipped  into  a  locality^  from  a  distance.  After  a 
horse  is  broken  in,  becomes  accustomed  to  his  work 
and  is  acclimated,  he  is  said  to  be  "seasoned." 

Green  horses  should  be  handled  with  great  care  and 
good  judgment  for  the  first  season,  as  the\'  are  very 
likely  to  be  injured  by  overwork.  The}'  are  usually  fat 
and  out  of  condition  as  a  result  of  being  fitted  for  the 
market,  and,  while  in  good  spirits  and  ambitious,  should 
not  be  given  hard  work,  either  in  driving  or  pulling. 
Light  work  for  green  horses  the  first  season  will  repay 
in  longer  service  and  greater  efficiency.  Most  horses 
are  overworked,  their  ambition  destroyed,  and  their 
life  shortened  by  too  severe  labor  before  they  are  seven 
years  old.  Because  a  horse  is  young,  active  and  ambi- 
tious there  is  a  tendency  among  many  to  allow  him  to 
use   his  strength  lavishly,  and  a  debilitated,   "played- 


Training   the    Colt  75 

out"   and  unsound  horse   results    at    an   age    when   he 
should  be  in  his  prime. 

TRAINING    AND    HITCHING    UP    HORSES 

In  some  localities  it  may  be  cheaper,  as  a  matter  of 
economy,  to  buy  horses  than  to  raise  them;  and  yet 
there  is  more  real  value  in  raising  a  colt  than  the  money 
which  he  represents.  The  satisfaction  that  comes  from 
the  selection  of  the  sire  and  dam,  the  pleasure  and  in- 
terest that  a  little  colt  excites  in  every  one  interested  in 
horses,  and  the  breaking  and  training  of  the  colt  to  use- 
fulness and  service,  are  much  more  valuable  to  the  boy 
or  man  who  assumes  the  responsibility,  than  is  the  colt 
when  measured  by  dollars  and  cents.  Not  every  person 
is  fitted  by  nature  for  the  care  and  handling  of  colts,  as 
the  large  number  of  vicious  and  spoiled  horses  indi- 
cates. And  yet  every  one  possessing  good  judgment,  a 
familiarity  with  horses,  and  patience,  can  attain  a 
tolerable  degree  of  success. 

Among  the  other  qualities  which  are  transmitted 
from  parent  to  offspring,  especially  in  horses,  is  the  dis- 
position; and  a  horse  possessing  an  ugly  or  vicious 
disposition  should  not  be  bred,  unless  he  possesses  other 
qualities  that  are  superior.  When  such  an  animal  is 
bred,  it  should  be  mated  with  an  animal  of  the  oppo- 
site temperament.  The  colt's  training  should  begin 
early,  while  he  can  be  easily  handled  and  controlled. 
Little  colts  learn  readily,  are  seldom  vicious,  and  are 
more  valuable  when  they  are  broken  young. 

In  breaking  and   training  horses,  a  few  "command- 


76  The    Care    of  Animals 

ments"  may  be  laid  down,  and  should  always  be  kept  in 
mind.  A  horse  should  never  be  trusted  more  than  is 
necessary.  A  good  horseman  never  runs  risks  if  he  can 
avoid  it,  and  when  risks  are  necessary,  he  always  reduces 
them  to  a  minimum  by  care  and  forethought.  Many 
distressing  accidents  occur  from  trusting  old  "family" 
horses.  Unexpected  circumstances  are  liable  to  arise  at 
any  time  that  require  good  judgment,  and  some  strength 
and  skill,  in  the  handling  or  controlling  of  horses.  The 
harness  and  other  equipment  should  be  of  good  quality 
and  in  good  repair.  Children,  women  or  incompetent 
men  should  never  be  left  in  charge  of  horses  unless  the 
animals  are  securely  tied.  Horses  should  be  tied  about 
the  neck  by  a  strong  rope  or  strap,  the  latter  passed 
through  the  ring  of  the  bit,  or  by  some  similar  arrange- 
ment. A  horse  should  always  be  tied  short;  if  tied 
long,  he  is  liable  to  get  his  feet  over  the  rope,  to  cramp 
the  vehicle,  to  get  his  nose  on  the  ground,  to  step  on 
the  lines  or  bridle;  and  if  he  becomes  frightened  he  has 
much  more  chance  of  freeing  himself.  In  driving,  a 
whip  should  always  be  carried;  while  it  may  be  seldom 
necessar}^  to  use  it,  yet  when  it  is  needed  it  is  usually 
needed  very  badly.  The  lines  should  always  be  kept 
within  reach. 

A  horse  should  never  be  allowed  to  ^et  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  driver,  or  to  get  from  under  his  control; 
for  once  he  learns  that  he  is  superior  to  the  driver  he  is 
usually  ruined.  The  driver,  by  firmness,  gentleness 
and  force  of  character,  should  control  the  horse.  Aside 
from  the  damage  which  may  be  incurred  by  a  horse's 
bolting  or  running  away,  an  attendant  may  be  hurt  by 


Hitching    Up  77 

the  horse's  biting,  striking  or  kicking  him.  The  safest 
way  of  handling  a  fractious  horse  is  for  the  attendant 
to  stand  close  to  his  left  shoulder,  grasping  the  bridle 
or  halter  close  to  the  mouth  with  the  right  hand.  In 
this  position  the  horse  is  unable  to  injure  him.  If  the 
horse  gets  loose,  or  makes  an  attempt  to  do  so,  the  at- 
tendant should  stay  close  to  him,  or  else  get  clear  out 
of  the  way.  There  is  no  "happy  medium."  Many  seri- 
ous accidents  occur  from  horses'  rearing  and  striking,  or 
kicking  in  play.  In  catching  horses  in  the  pasture, 
care  should  be  taken,  in  approaching  the  animal,  that 
he  does  not  whirl  and  kick. 

In  leading  horses  with  a  halter,  an  attendant  is  some- 
times uuable  to  hold  the  animal.  By  looping  the  rope 
or  tie -strap  and  slipping  it  into  his  mouth  in  the  place 
of  a  bit,  then  running  the  rope  through  the  nose -band, 
thus  forming  a  loop  around  the  lower  jaw,  he  can  be 
easily  controlled.  In  leading  or  driving  horses,  cattle 
or  other  large  animals,  the  line  or  rope  should  never  be 
tied  or  wrapped  around  the  body  or  hands  of  the 
attendant. 

In  harnessing,  dressing,  or  handling  a  horse,  the 
work  should  be  done  from  the  left  or  "nigh"  side  of 
the  animal;  the  harness,  saddle  and  equipment  fasten 
and  unfasten  on  this  side.  In  putting  on  the  harness 
it  should  be  gently  but  firmly  placed  upon  the  animal, 
pains  being  taken  that  it  fits  well,  and  all  loose,  flapping 
straps  avoided.  In  hitching  a  horse  into  a  pair  of 
shafts,  the  shafts  should  always  be  raised  up  and  the 
animal  backed  into  them,  or  the  vehicle  drawn  for- 
ward, as  the  horse    is    likely  to    step  on  a  shaft  and 


78  The    Care   of  Animals 

break  it  if  backed  into  them  while  they  are  on  the  floor 
or  ground. 

In  hitching  up  horses,  the  lines  should  be  fastened 
into  the  bits  and  then  disengaged  and  placed  where  they 
can  easily  be  reached  before  hitching  the  horse  to  the 
vehicle;  in  unhitching,  the  lines  should  be  the  last  part 
of  the  harness  to  be  "done  up,"  and  precautions  should 
be  taken  that  the  animal  is  free  from  the  vehicle  before 
attempting  to  lead  him  away. 

BREAKING    COLTS 

In  breaking  colts,  the  common  mistake  is  made  of 
trying  to  teach  them  too  much  at  once.  Be  sure  that 
the  colt  understands  the  first  lesson  and  has  it  thor- 
oughly learned  before  another  one  is  attempted.  One 
of  the  first  lessons  is  to  "halter -break"  the  young  colt. 
This  should  be  done  while  he  is  a  suckling.  A 
strong,  well -fitting  halter  should  be  placed  on  him,  and 
he  should  be  tied  short  near  to  his  mother  and  in  such 
a  position  that  he  cannot  pull  back  too  far  or  throw 
and  choke  himself.  Fig.  24.  Colts  should  always  be 
tied  strongly  so  there  is  no  danger  of  breaking  loose,  for 
if  he  breaks  loose  once  he  is  very  likely  to  try  it  again. 
Little  colts  should  be  gently  but  firmly  treated,  so  that 
they  will  have  confidence  in  the  trainer.  Avoid  making 
great  pets  of  colts,  as  such  animals  are  usually  difficult 
to  break,  being  lawless  and  headstrong.  After  the  colt  is 
well  halter -broken,  so  that  he  can  be  tied  and  led,  it  is 
a  good  plan  to  allow  the  colt  to  accompany  the  mother 
by   tying    his    halter  to  her  hame  or  collar;    thus  he 


Breaking    Colts 


79 


becomes  used  to  walking  and  trotting  beside  another 
horse.  The  onlj-  objection  to  breaking  colts  young  is  that, 
being  broken,  the}'  are  likely  to  be  driven  or  worked  too 
hard  before  they  are  well  developed  or  strong  enough. 
A  bitting  bridle  should  now  be  put  on  for  an  hour  or 
so  a  day,  until  he  is  familiar  with  it.    An  "open"  bridle, 


or  one  without  blinders,  should  always  be  used  at  first, 
so  that  the  colt  can  see  and  familiarize  himself  with  all 
that  is  going  on  about  him.  A  "blind"  bridle  can  then 
be  put  on  at  any  time.  If  a  horse  is  broken  in  a  blind 
bridle,  great  care  must  be  exercised  in  changing  to  an 
open  bridle,  as  he  is  very  liable  to  be  frightened  by  the 
glimpses   he    gets  of   the    vehicles   coming   after   him. 


80  The    Care   of  Animals 

Choice  between  open  and  blind  bridles  must  be  governed 
by  circumstances.  A  driving  horse  used  with  an  open 
bridle  generally  "knows  too  much,"  and  often  assumes 
that,  because  he  has  seen  a  person  get  into  the  vehicle, 
he  is  ready  to  start;  or,  because  the  driver  takes  the 
whip  he  expects  to  receive  a  "cut";  and  he  often  jumps 
when  it  is  not  desirable.  Horses  which  "shy"  at  objects 
along  the  road  usually  go  much  better  when  carefully 
driven  with  an  open  bridle. 

In  breaking  colts,  a  large,  smooth  bit  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred. There  are  on  the  market  some  slightly  flexi- 
ble leather- covered  bits  that  are  excellent.  A  straight 
or  a  single -joint  bit  is  generally  used.  After  the  colt 
is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  bitting  rig,  a  saddle, 
back  strap  and  crupper  of  a  single  harness  should  be 
carefully  put  on  and  be  kept  on  for  an  hour  or  two 
daily  until  he  is  used  to  it.  When  this  is  accomplished, 
a  bridle  can  be  put  on,  the  lines  passed  through  the 
tugs,  or  loops  made  for  the  shafts,  and  the  colt  driven. 
By  passing  the  lines  through  the  tug  loops  the  colt  can 
be  prevented  from  whirling  around  and  getting  tangled 
up  in  the  lines.  It  is  usually  a  good  plan  to  have  an 
attendant  lead  the  colt  until  he  understands  what  is 
expected  of  him. 

One  of  the  first  things  to  teach  a  colt  is  to  stop  at 
the  command  "Whoa,"  and  to  stand.  The  command 
should  be  used  for  the  one  purpose  of  making  him  stop. 
Many  drivers  use  the  word  frequently  in  driving  ner- 
vous or  irritable  horses,  but,  instead,  they  should  use 
other  encouraging  or  soothing  words. 

After  the  colt  is  broken  to  drive  single,  the  breeching 


Breaking    Colts  81 

and  traces  should  be  attached  and  arranged  so  that  they 
will  not  flop,  and  the  colt  hitched  up  with  a  reliable,  but 
quick -acting  horse.  It  is  a  mistake  to  hitch  a  quick, 
active  colt  with  a  slow,  lazy  horse;  .his  actions  will  be 
very  irritating  and  confusing  to  the  colt.  After  being 
driven  double  a  while,  the  pair  niay  be  attached  to  a  sub- 
stantial vehicle.  When  .hitching  a  colt  up  double  for 
the  first  time,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  keep  a  pair  of  single 
lines  on  the  colt's  bridle,  which  can  be  handled  by  an 
assistant. 

In  hitching  up  double,  a  good,  heavy  wagon  is  pref- 
erable, and  especially  one  with  a  brake.  The  colt 
should  be  placed  on  the  "off"  side,  as  he  is  more  easy 
to  manage  there,  and  can  be  touched  with  the  whip 
better.  After  the  colt  is  familiar  Avith  the  harness, 
wagon  and  equipment,  he  can  be  hitched  up  single. 
Some  horse -trainers  prefer  to  break  the  colt  in  shafts 
before  hitching  him  up  double.  A  breaking  cart  for 
hitching  up  colts  single  should  be  substantial,  with  long, 
heavy  thills,  and  the  seat  arranged  behind  so  that  the 
driver  can  get  on  and  off  quickly.  The  colt  should  be 
hitched  far  enougli  forward  in  the  shafts  so  that  he  can- 
not kick  to  do  any  damage.  A  strap  (commonly  called 
a  kick-strap) ,  attached  to  each  shaft  and  passed  over 
the  colt's  croup,  should  always  be  used  until  the  colt  is 
well  accustomed  to   the  thills. 

When  the  colt  is  first  hitched  up  single  in  a  two- 
wheeled  cart,  an  attendant  should  hold  him  until  the 
driver  is  ready,  then  he  should  be  allowed  to  go.  As 
soon  as  he  becomes  familiar  with  the  cart,  he  should 
be  compelled  to  stand  until  he  is  told  to  start. 


82  The    Care    of  Animals 

Teaching  a  colt  to  back  is  usually  best  done  by  pla- 
cing him  in  a  double  team  with  a  horse  that  will  back 
well,  the  wagon  being  in  a  favorable  position  so  that 
little  force  is  required  to  move  it.  An  assistant  takes 
the  lines  and  tells  the  colt  to  back,  while  the  trainer 
takes  hold  of  the  colt's  bit  on  either  side  and  assists  in 
forcing  him  backward.  If  he  refuses  to  go,  a  slight  cut 
with  the  whip  across  his  front  legs,  or  tapping  the  legs 
with  the  toe,  will  cause  him  to  step  back.  Time  and 
patience  are  often  required  to  teach  a  colt  to  back  well. 
He  should  always  be  forced  to  respond  to  traction  on 
the  bit,  even  if  a  cut  with  the  whip  is  necessary.  He 
should  not  be  allowed  to  twist  his  head  and  neck  around 
to  one  side  without  moving  the  body.  In  teaching  a 
colt  to  draw,  he  should  be  hitched  with  another  horse  of 
his  own  temperament  and  agility.  The  loads  should  at 
first  be  light,  increasing  gradually  as  he  becomes  familiar 
with  the  work.  A  young  horse,  not  accustomed  to  pull- 
ing, should  never  be  hitched  to  a  load  if  there  is  any 
doubt  of  his  ability  to  move  it  readily. 

WILD    OR    VICIOUS    HORSES 

In  breaking  or  handling  vicious  horses,  the  most 
important  thing  is  to  impress  them  firmly  with  the  idea 
that  the  trainer  has  complete  control  over  them  and 
that  they  must  obey  him.  A  horse  that  thinks  he  can 
do  as  he  wishes  is  difficult  to  deal  with.  One  of  the 
methods  of  managing  a  vicious  horse  is,  if,  understand- 
ing what  is  required  of  him,  he  refuses  to  obey,  to 
throw  him  down  and  hold  him  there  until  he  gives  up. 


Handling    Vicious    Horses  83 

While  down  it  is  often  a  good  plan  to  crack  a  whip 
close  to  him,  and,  when  he  struggles,  to  hold  him  firmly, 
hy  keeping  his  head  down.  After  he  ceases  struggling 
and  gives  up,  the  horse  should  be  allowed  to  get  up. 
Then  try  him  with  the  lesson  again.  If  he  refuses, 
throw  him  down  at  once,  and  repeat  the  process  until 
he  is  ready  to  do  what  is  required  of  him. 

Another  method  that  works  well  in  some  cases  and  is 
less  trouble,  is  to  strap  up  one  fore  leg  and  make  him 
go  on  three  legs.  This  is  a  good  plan  when  the  horse 
has  a  tendency  to  run  or  to  kick.  After  he  is  satisfied 
that  he  cannot  get  loose  and  is  under  complete  control, 
the  strap  can  be  removed.  If,  when  hitching  a  horse 
up,  there  is  fear  that  he  may  run  or  act  in  a  vicious 
manner,  straps  with  rings  should  be  buckled  below  the 
fetlock  on  each  fore  leg,  a  small  rope  tied  securely  in 
the  ring  of  the  strap  on  the  right  leg,  passed  up  over 
the  belly-band  and  down  through  the  ring  on  the  left 
fore  leg,  then  passed  up  over  the  belly-band  again 
and  held  by  an  assistant  who  walks  or  rides  with  the 
trainer.  In  case  of  trouble,  the  assistant,  by  pulling  on 
the  rope,  can  hold  up  one  or  both  fore  feet.  If  a  horse 
shows  a  tendency  to  kick,  a  sharp  twitch  on  the  lines 
will  often  distract  his  attention  and  prevent  kicking. 
Frequently,  when  a  horse  is  nervous  and  irritable, 
placing  a  blindfold  over  the  eyes  will  direct  his  attention 
elsewhere. 

BALKY     HORSES 

Balking  is  refusal  on  the  part  of  a  horse  to  do  his 
required    work    when    he    understands    fully    what    is 


84  The    Care    of  Animals 

wanted.  It  is  an  extremely  aggravating  vice,  and  one 
that  is  likely  to  render  a  horse  practically  worthless. 

Balking  may  be  due  to  a  naturally  vicious  dispo- 
sition, or  to  improper  handling;  it  is  often  a  combi- 
nation of  both.  The  more  experience  one  has  in  dealing 
with  this  trouble,  the  less  he  feels  like  giving  advice. 
The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  get  acquainted  with  the 
horse  and  all  his  peculiarities;  then  the  trainer  must 
exercise  his  ingenuity  and  knowledge  to  overcome  or 
circumvent  the  animal. 

Balking  varies  from  a  disinclination  to  do  some 
slight  act  in  some  particular  place  or  at  some  particular 
time,  to  a  disinclination  to  do  anything  that  may  be 
required  at  any  time.  Associated  with  the  disincli- 
nation to  work,  there  is  often  a  tendency  to  do 
some  annoying  act  that  he  ought  not  to  do.  Balking 
is  often  associated  with  a  nervous  temperament,  and  all 
influences  that  tend  to  irritate  the  horse  should  be 
removed  if  possible.  In  dealing  with  balky  or  vicious 
horses,  it  is  important  that  the  trainer  be  quiet,  per- 
sistent, and,  above  all,  that  he  does  not  lose  his  tem- 
per. Shouting,  jerking  and  whipping  a  balky  horse 
is  likely  to  make  a  bad  matter  worse.  If  punishment 
in  the  form  of  whipping  is  to  be  given,  it  must  be 
given  judiciously  and  thoroughly.  In  many  cases  of 
balking,  if  he  is  allowed  to  stand  quietly  until  the 
nervousness  has  passed  away,  the  horse  will  start 
of  his  own  accord.  Attracting  his  attention  by  adjust- 
ing the  harness,  or  by  giving  him  an  apple  or  a  bit  of 
sugar,  will  often  overcome  a  difficulty  that  cannot  be 
whipped  out  of  him.     A  horse  that  balks,  and  throws 


BalTiing  —  Halter   Pulling  85 

liimself,  and  refuses  to  get  up,  is  hard  to  deal  with. 
In  most  eases,  turning  a  hose  into  his  mouth,  nose  and 
face  will  make  him  get  up.  In  the  absence  of  a  hose, 
water  can  be  dashed  on  him  from  a  pail. 

In  bad  cases  of  balking,  throwing  the  horse  and 
holding  him  down  until  he  is  ready  to  go  is  often  an 
effective  way  of  treating  him.  Every  case  has  to  be 
dealt  with  according  to  the  particular  circumstances. 
As  a  general  rule,  balky  horses  can  be  coaxed  better 
than  they  can  be  forced. 

REARING,     OR     "  RARING" 

When  a  horse  has  a  tendency  to  rear  on  his  hind 
legs,  fasten  a  small  rope  to  one  or  both  forward  fetlocks, 
so  that  you  can  pull  his  feet  from  under  him  as  he 
comes  down.  This  will  usually  cause  him  to  stop  this 
vice  after  a  few  trials. 

HALTER    PULLING 

This  is  another  annoying  vice,  caused  by  the  horse 
throwing  himself  backward  on  the  halter  with  all  the 
force  that  he  can;  unless  he  is  securely  tied  he  is  likely 
to  break  loose,  and  he  often  does  other  damage.  All 
horses  that  have  this  habit  should  be  securely  tied  by 
a  stout  neck  strap  or  rope.  They  can  sometimes  be 
broken  by  tying  a  small  (about  one -fourth  inch)  rope 
around  the  body  just  back  of  the  fore  legs;  the  rope 
is  then  passed  between  the  front  legs,  through  the  ring 
of   the  halter,   and   tied   to    a    post.       When   a    horse 


86  The    Care    of  Animals 

throws  himself  back  on  this  a  few  times  he  will  usually 
cease.  Another  method  is  to  tie  one  end  of  the  small 
rope  about  the  tail  in  the  form  of  a  crupper,  the  other 
end  being  passed  through  the  halter  ring  and  tied  to  a 
post.  In  this  case,  when  he  pulls  the  force  is  exerted 
upon  his  tail  and  he  soon  stops. 

PULLING    ON   THE    BIT 

This  is  a  bad  habit  and  one  difficult  to  remedy  in 
some  cases.  A  horse  that  tugs  on  his  bit  continuously, 
or  even  for  a  part  of  the  time,  cannot  be  driven  with 
any  pleasure.  This  vice  is  often  due  to  errors  in  break- 
ing. In  driving  a  horse  that  pulls  on  the  bit,  the  more 
the  driver  tries  to  hold  him,  the  more  he  pulls,  espe- 
cially if  he  gets  nervous  and  irritated.  A  hareh  bit  that 
hurts  his  mouth  is  likelj^  to  increase  the  irritation. 

In  dealing  with  a  horse  that  pulls  on  the  bit,  it  is 
usually  a  good  i)lan  to  use  as  easy  a  bit  as  possible,  as 
some  of  the  flexible  leather -covered  bits.  Then  try  to 
teach  the  horse  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  pull  on  the  bit 
as  he  travels.  When  he  begins  to  pull  on  the  bit,  allow 
him  to  go  without  trying  to  hold  him,  never  allowing 
him,  however,  to  get  beyond  the  control  of  the  driver. 
When  the  horse  finds  that  no  one  is  tr3'ing  to  hold  him 
he  will  often  give  up  pulling.  Some  cases  can  be  stopped 
by  tying  the  pulling  horse  to  his  mate. 

RUNAWAY    HORSES 

It  is  impossible  to  stop  a  thorouglily  frightened  horse 
that  is  running  away,  by  pulling  on   an  ordinary  bit. 


Runaway   Horses  87 

There  are  bits  made  that  enable  the  driver  to  close  the 
nostrils,  and  thus  to  stop  the  horse's  breathing  so  that 
he  will  soon  "choke  down."  There  are  other  kinds  of 
bits  that  are  very  effective.  By  acting  quickh-  and 
vigorously,  a  driver  can  often  prevent  a  horse  from 
getting  beyond  control.  If  it  is  possible  to  rein  the 
horse  into  a  wall  before  he  has  acquired  much  headway, 
it  is  usually  a  good  plan.  When  a  horse  is  beyond 
control,  and  is  running  rapidly,  it  is  generally'  the  safest 
plan  to  guide  him,  so  far  as  possible,  and  to  allow  him 
to  become  exhausted,  when  he  can  be  stopped.  There 
is  usually  less  danger  in  staying  with  a  horse  that  is 
running  rapidly  than  in  attempting  to  jump.  Every 
case  must  be  decided  as  the  varying  circumstances  will 
indicate.  Runaway  horses  are  always  dangerous,  and 
should  be  treated  accordingly,  and  no  person  not  fully 
qualified  should  ever  be  allowed  to  handle  them. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE    HORSE  — LAMENESS    AND    SHOEING 

In  treating"  lameness  in  animals,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  one  of  the  most  important  essentials  to  re- 
covery is  rest.  There  are  few  forms  of  lameness  that 
can  be  treated  successfully  when  the  animal  is  at  work, 
especially  when  that  work  is  responsible  for  the  lame- 
ness. In  treating  lameness,  the  affected  limb  is  to  be 
kept  as  quiet  as  possible  until  some  time  after  the 
S3^mptoms  have  disappeared,  in  order  that  the  diseased 
or  injured  tissues  can  regain  their  healthy  condition. 

Turning  horses  out  to  pasture  for  some  weeks  is 
often  all  that  is  necessary.  This  takes  the  animal  oii 
the  hard  floors  and  roads  upon  which  much  time  or- 
dinarily is  spent.  In  many  cases,  if  the  cause  of  the 
lameness  can  be  located  and  removed,  a  g-ood  blister 
put  on  the  affected  part,  the  shoes  taken  off  and  the 
horse  turned  out  to  pasture,  may  result  in  a  complete 
recovery  in  a  short  time.  When  there  is  danger  of  the 
animal's  breaking  the  hoofs  badly  while  in  rough  pas- 
ture, or  from  stamping  flies,  the  hoofs  can  be  pro- 
tected with  light  tips. 

In  many  cases  in  which  the  feet  of  roadsters  have 
been  injured  by  fast  driving  on  hard  roads,  light  work 
on  soft  plowed  ground,  barefooted  or  with  tip  shoes, 
will  often    take  the    place  of    a  run  at    pasture.       The 

(88) 


What    Lameness    Is  89 

same  treatment  is  good  for  draft  horses,  when  the 
feet  have  been  injured  on  pavements.  It  will  in  most 
cases  give  relief  and  often  effect   permanent  recovery. 

DIAGNOSING    LAMENESS 

Lameness  is  a  defect  in  the  natural  gait  of  an 
animal.  In  some  cases  there  is  a  normal  "hitch"  in 
the  gait.  Such  a  peculiarity  is  not  easily  distinguished 
from  true  lameness,  especially  when  the  horse  is  pushed 
to  the  limit  of  his  speed  in  trotting.  It  is  an  idio- 
sincrasy  and  does  not  need  treating. 

Lameness  may  be  due  to  some  deformity  which, 
though  it  causes  a  noticeable  limp,  may  occasion  the 
animal  no  pain  and  but  little  inconvenience  in  travel- 
ing. Most  cases  of  lameness,  however,  are  due  to  some- 
disease  or  injury  that  not  only  interferes  with  the 
locomotion,  but  causes  the   animal  suffering. 

Lameness  is  at  times  difficult  to  locate;  therefore  it 
is  not  easy  to  give  directions  for  distinguishing  the 
various  lamenesses  of  animals.  Experts  often  seem  to 
diagnose  cases  of  lameness  intuitivelj',  and  are  some- 
times unable  to  tell  why  the  disease  is  located  in  a 
certain  spot.  Close  and  careful  observation  of  the  form 
and  movements  of  the  legs,  both  in  health  and  in  dis- 
ease, are  essential  to  accuracy  in  diagnosis. 

Most  cases  of  lameness  in  horses  occur  in  the  front 
legs.  These  bear  one -third  more  weight  than  the 
hind  legs,  and  in  ordinary  traveling  they  are  lifted 
higher  and  brought  down  with  greater  force;  hence, 
their  liability  to  injury  is  increased. 


90  The    Care    of  Animals 

There  is  a  popular  belief  among  horse  owners  that 
shoulder  lameness  is  very  common,  but  this  is  an 
error.  Shoulder  lameness  is  extremely  rare.  Nearly 
all  lamenesses  of  the  fore  leg  occur  below  the  knee, 
and  most  of  these  are  in  the  foot.  In  the  hind  leg 
most  cases  of  lameness  occur  in  the  hock  joint,  or  below 
it.     Hip -joint  lameness  is  very  rare. 

In  locating  lameness  it  is  best  to  examine  the  animal 
while  he  is  moving,  preferably  on  a  hard  road  at  a  trot, 
and  without  check,  harness  or  blanket.  The  person 
leading  the  horse  should  give  him  as  much  freedom  of 
the  head  as  is  possible.  The  horse  should  be  seen 
passing  by,  coming  toward,  and  going  from,  the  ob- 
server. He  should  also  be  turned  in  short  circles  to 
the  right,  then  to  the  left,  in  order  to  bring  the  weight 
on  the  right  and  the  left  legs  alternately. 

When  the  lameness  is  in  one  leg,  the  horse  will 
usually  drop  on  the  corresponding  well  leg  as  soon  as 
possible,  with  a  movement  that  is  easily  recognized.  In 
standing,  the  weight  is  taken  off  the  lame  leg,  and  this 
leg  is  placed  in  a  position  that  will  give  the  most  relief. 
When  the  lameness  is  in  both  front  legs,  the  animal 
moves  with  a  peculiar  stiff  or  stilted  motion,  and  when 
standing  shifts  the  weight  uneasily  from  one  leg  to  the 
other.  Aside  from  the  symptoms  of  lameness  that 
are  shown  when  the  animal  is  in  motion,  a  thorough 
examination  of  the  affected  limb  should  be  made  by 
manipulating  and  feeling  of  it  for  signs  of  soreness,  in- 
flammation, bunches,  depressions  or  swellings.  An 
amateur  should  always  make  a  careful  examination  of 
the  foot,  as  most  lamenesses  are  located  here.     The  shoe 


To    Diagnose   Lameness  91 

should  be  removed,  the  nails  exaiuiiied  for  signs  of 
blood  or  pus,  and  the  bottom  of  the  foot  cleaned  and 
examined  for  punctures  or  bruises. 

In  manipulating  to  detect  soreness,  one  must  not  be 
misled  by  the  animal's  flinching  when  the  muscles  of 
the  shoulder  are  firml\'  pressed.  Horses  are  likely  to 
flinch  from  pressure  here.  In  feeling  for  soreness  or 
heat  in  a  part,  it  is  always  well  to  study  and  compare 
the  corresponding  leg.  In  examining  the  foot,  a  small 
hammer  is  excellent  with  which  to  tap  the  different 
parts  of  the  hoof  to  induce  flinching.  To  determine 
heat  in  a  part,  aside  from  the  touch,  the  corresponding 
parts  of  each  leg  are  wet  and  note  is  made  of  the  one 
drying  first.  In  cases  of  suspected  foot  lameness, 
the  animal  may  be  driven,  the  degree  of  lameness 
noted,  and  a  five  per  cent  solution  of  cocaine  may  then 
be  injected  with  a  hypodermic  syringe  over  the  nerves 
on  either  side  of  the  tendon,  in  the  hollow  just  above 
and  back  of  the  foot.  If  the  lameness  is  in  the  lower 
and  back  part  of  the  foot,  it  will  be  stopped  or  greatly 
lessened  temporarily. 

SWEENEY,    SHOULDER    LAMENESS 

While  shoulder  lameness  is  rare,  one  form  that  is 
met  with,  particularly  in  young  horses,  is  called  sweeney. 
It  is  a  rapid  wasting  away  of  certain  muscles  on  the 
outside  of  the  shoulder-blade. 

Sweenej'  is  caused  by  severe  pulling,  especially  in 
young  horses  when  first  put  at  hard  work,  such  as 
plowing.     The  blood  vessels   or  nerves  of  the   affected 


92  The    Care    of  Animals 

muscles  seem  to  be  injured  b}-  the  pressure  of  the 
coUar.  While  sweeney  is  commonly  caused  by  plowing, 
any  hard,  continuous  pulling  may  produce  it. 

In  many  cases  there  is  a  lack  of  definite  symptoms, 
the  first  thing  noticed  being  a  wasting  away  of  the 
muscles  on  the  outside  of  the  shoulder-blade,  and  a  lack 
of  proper  use  of  the  corresponding  front  leg.  In  a  few 
cases  there  may  be  marked  pain,  as  shown  by  sweating, 
rolling  and  pointing  the  nose  toward  the  shoulder,  with 
a  temporary  swelling  of  the  muscles.  These  symptoms 
are  followed  by  the  wasting  of  the  muscles. 

Severe  and  long -continued  cases  of  lameness  in  the 
fore  leg  often  cause  a  gradual  wasting  of  the  muscles  of 
the  shoulder  from  a  lack  of  use  of  the  leg.  The  same 
condition  occurring  in  the  hind  leg  is  sometimes  called 
"hip  Sweeney,"  but  such  wasting  of  muscles  from  disuse 
is  not  properly  so  called.  In  sweeney,  the  muscles  on 
the  outside  of  the  shoulder-blade  seem  to  disappear;  the 
skin  appears  to  grow  fast  to  the  bone,  and  the  form  of 
the  bone  can  be  plainly  seen  as  it  moves  beneath  the 
skin.  In  using  the  leg,  the  animal  swings  it  outward. 
In  most  cases  of  sweenej^  the  horse  is  but  slightly  lame. 

To  treat,  remove  the  cause.  If  necessary  to  work  the 
animal,  a  perfect-fitting  collar  should  be  used,  and  the 
work  made  light.  The  skin  over  the  affected  muscles 
should  be  loosened  from  the  tissues  beneath  by  manipu- 
lation. Rubbing  the  muscles,  and  using  a  mild  lini- 
ment, is  good.  A  seaton  of  tape  inserted  beneath  the 
skin  over  the  affected  muscles,  beginning  at  the  top  and 
brought  out  below,  or  two  or  three  light  blisters  three 
weeks   apart,  in  most  cases  will  effect  a  cure.     Hand- 


Foundered   Horses  93 

rubbing  with  liniment  is  preferable.  Two  months  should 
be  allowed  for  a  complete  cure.  In  cases  in  which  there 
is  a  wasting  of  the  muscles  of  the  shoulder  with  severe 
lameness,  the  cause  should  be  sought  in  the  leg  or  foot, 
and  when  the  lameness  is  removed  the  muscles  will 
resume  their  normal  shape. 

LAMINITIS,     OR    FOUNDER 

This  is  inflammation  of  the  sensitive  laminae  or 
plates  of  the  foot.  It  usually  affects  the  front  feet,  but 
may  occur  in  all  feet  in  rare  cases.  This  disease  is  also 
called  "chest  founder,"  as  it  was  once  supposed  that  the 
apparent  wasting  of  the  muscles  of  the  chest  brought  it 
on.  Inflammation  of  the  feet  may  not  be  confined  to  the 
sensitive  laminje,  but  may  extend  to  all  the  sensitive 
structures  inside  the  hoof.. 

Injuries  to  the  feet,  either  from  accidents,  or  from 
the  concussion  of  hard  and  fast  driving,  long  and  sevei  e 
drives,  or  driving  a  horse  through  cold  water  while 
warm,  may  cause  inflammation  of  the  feet.  Feeding  or 
watering  a  horse  when  he  is  very  warm  or  tired,  or  a 
sudden  and  -violent  change  of  food,  may  also  be  causes 
of  the  trouble.  Laminitis  frequently  occurs  in  cattle 
that  are  on  full  feed  and  in  oxen  or  other  animals 
following  long  drives. 

Inflammation  of  the  feet  may  be  severe  and  acute,  or 
it  may  occur  in  a  milder,  persistent  chronic  form,  the 
symptoms  varying  much  with  the  t\^pe  of  the  disease. 

Acute  laminitis  is  usually  found  in  the  front  feet. 
There  is  difficult  locomotion,  the  horse  dislikes  to  bear 


94  The    Care    of  Animals 

weight  on  the  inflamed  feet,  and  when  forced  to  move 
does  so  with  a  stiff  and  stilted  movement.  He  can 
hardly  hobble  along.  When  standing,  he  places  the 
front  feet  as  far  forward  as  possible,  and  draws  the  hind 
feet  well  under  the  body,  in  order  to  take  the  weight 
off  the  inflamed  feet.  This  position  causes  the  muscles 
of  the  breast  to  relax,  and,  apparently,  to  disappear;  but 
as  soon  as  the  horse  assumes  the  normal  position  the 
muscles  are  seen.  Laminitis  may  start  with  a  chill, 
followed  by  a  rise  of  temperature,  108°  to  104°  F. 
The  pulse  is  full,  bounding,  and  rather  hard  to  the 
touch.  The  affected  parts  are  hot,  and  there  is  a 
distinct  throbbing  of  the  arteries  of  the  foot.  In  some 
cases  the  horse  may  lie  down  and  roll  wdth  pain,  and 
there  may  be  severe  diarrhoea. 

The  shoes  should  be  pulled  off  and  the  horse  placed  in 
well -bedded  quarters  that  will  tempt  him  to  lie  down. 
This  position  lessens  the  pain  and  favors  recovery. 
The  affected  feet  should  be  wrapped  with  soft  cloths 
or  packed  with  moss,  and  kept  wet  with  cold  water  to 
reduce  the  inflammation.  A  heaping  tablespoc'uful  of 
saltpeter  may  be  given  three  times  daily  as  a  drench. 
In  case  the  cold  water  does  not  relieve,  try  applications 
of  hot  water  for  twenty  minutes  at  a  time,  every  two 
hours. 

Chronic  laminitis  may  develop  from  an  acute  form, 
or  it  may  gradually  appear  as  the  result  of  mild  but 
persistent  irritation.  It  varies  from  cases  that  show 
but  a  very  slight  soreness  in  the  front  feet,  to  those 
in  which  locomotion  is  difficult.  The  causes  are,  in 
general,  the  same  as  for  acute  laminitis.    It  is  frequently 


Founder  95 

the  result  of  driving  on  citj'  pavements,  the  repeated 
concussion  setting  up  a  chronic  inflammation. 

The  symptoms  are  not  so  marked  as  in  the  acute 
form.  The  horse  places  the  feet  well  forward  in  stand- 
ing, or  shifts  the  weight  from  one  foot  to  the  other.  In 
obstinate  cases,  the  outline  of  the  front  of  the  hoof  is 
concave  instead  of  straight  and  the  hoof  is  marked  by 
circular  rings  of  horn.  The  hoof  is  hard  and  dry,  and 
the  heels  are  likely  to  be  contracted. 

Treatment  for  chronic  laminitis  is  rarely  verj^  satis- 
factory as  far  as  a  cure  is  concerned,  but  it  will  often 
give  much  relief.  If  possible,  the  horse  should  be 
placed  in  a  clay  stall,  or  the  feet  may  be  soaked  in  a 
tub  for  two  hours  twice  daily,  wiped  dry  and  oiled  with 
the  following  hoof- dressing: 

Turpentine 1  ounce 

Pine  tar 1  ounce 

Beeswax 2  ounces 

Fish  oil 4  ounces 

Melt  together,  and  apply  twice  daily  with  a  brush  to 
all  parts  of  the  foot.  In  the  absence  of  the  hoof- dressing 
any  good  oil  or  glycerine  may  be  used.  Horses  that  are 
foot -sore  or  tender  can  be  benefited  by  shoeing  with 
broad  webbed  bar  shoes,  with  rubber  heel  pads  beneath 
to  lessen  the  jar.  Light  blisters  applied  to  the  coronets 
(top  of  the  hoof)  once  in  four  weeks  may  be  beneficial. 

COFFIN -JOINT    LAMENESS 

This  disease  is  also  called  "navicular  disease"  and 
"navicular   arthritis."     It   is    an    inflammation    of    the 


96  The    Care    of  Animals 

under  surface  of  the  navicular  bone  and  the  tendon  that 
passes  over  it.  It  occurs  in  the  front  feet,  and  when 
well  established  is  practicall}^  incurable.  It  is  usually 
found  in  horses  that  are  good  drivers,  and  is  one  of  the 
serious  diseases  to  which  fast  horses  are  liable.  It  is 
rarely  seen  in  draft  horses. 

The  disease  comes  on  gnidually  without  apparent 
cause.  The  horse  points  the  affected  foot  out  while 
standing.  There  is  little,  if  any,  noticeable  inflammation 
in  the  foot.  In  moving,  the  horse  does  not  bend  the 
coffin -joint  as  much  as  usual,  and  as  a  result  digs  the 
toe  into  the  ground,  and  in  placing  the  foot  down  strikes 
the  dirt  up  forward.  There  is  a  decided  lameness  that 
does  not  disappear  lo  any  extent  by  driving,  and  may 
get  worse.  The  horse  prefers  to  stand  on  the  toes  as 
much  as  possible,  and  as  a  result  the  heels  are  likely  to 
be  unusually  deep.  The  disease  maybe  easily  diagnosed 
by  injecting  cocaine  over  the  nerves. 

In  the  early  stages,  remove  the  shoes  and  poultice  the 
foot,  giving  plenty  of  rest.  When  the  trouble  is  well 
established  there  is  no  cure;  the  only  treatment  is  a 
surgical  operation  commonly  called  "nerving"  and 
technically  known  as  neurectomy,  or  neurotomy.  The 
operation  consists  in  cutting  out  a  section  of  the  nerve 
that  supplies  the  diseased  part.  This  destroys  all 
sensation,  but  it  does  not  cure  the  disease. 

There  are  two  methods  of  operating  —  the  "high," 
when  sections  of  the  nerve  are  removed  on  both  sides 
of  the  leg  above  the  fetlock,  and  the  "low,"  when  sec- 
tions of  a  nerve  are  remo^^ed  on  either  side  in  the  hollow 
below  the  fetlock.     In  the  high  operation  all  sensation 


Coffin -joint    Lameness  97 

in  the  foot  is  destroyed;  in  the  low  operation  the 
sensation  is  destroyed  in  the  lower  and  back  part  of  the 
foot  only. 

The  writer  advises  the  low  operation  in  all  cases 
when  it  will  give  relief,  and  this  is  easily  determined 
by  injecting  cocaine  (five  per  cent  solntion)  over  the 
nerves  at  the  seat  of  the  operation.  If  properly  per- 
formed, no  bad  results  follow  the  operation  and  the  horse 
gets  relief  from  pain.  When  the  low  operation  will  not 
give  relief,  and  the  horse  suffers  pain,  the  high  opera- 
tion is  to  be  recommended.  The  objection  to  the  high 
operation  is,  that  in  some  cases  there  is  likely  to  follow 
degeneration  of  the  tissues  of  the  foot  to  such  an  extent 
as  to  necessitate  a  destruction  of  the  animal.  Yet  an 
animal  generally  gives  years  of  service,  without  pain, 
when  he  otherwise  would  be  useless.  Neurectomy,  if 
properly  performed  under  the  effects  of  cocaine,  is  prac- 
tically painless,  and  cannot  be  considered  cruel.  In 
fact,  the  cruelty  lies  in  allowing  a  horse  to  suffer  when  a 
simple  operation  would  give  relief.  The  writer  does 
not  recommend  neurectomy  when  it  is  to  be  performed 
at  any  point  above  the  knee  or  fetlock,  except  in  rare 
instances.  The  indiscriminate  practice  of  neurectomy 
is  bad;  the  operation  is  not  a  "cure-all,"  and  is  to  be 
employed  only  after  careful  consideration,  for  a  specific 
purpose,  and  by  a  skilled  surgeon. 

CORXS 

Corns  result  from  bruises  of  the  sole.  They  al- 
ways occur  on  the  inside  half  of  th^  sole  of  the  front 

G 


98  Tlip    Care    of  Animals 

feet,  in  the  angle  formed  by  the  bar  and  the  wall  of 
the  inside  quarter.  They  usually  result  from  stepping 
upon  stones  or  other  hard  substances.  Horses  with  flat, 
weak  feet  are  more  liable  than  others  to  have  corns. 

There  is  severe  lameness;  the  horse  tries  to  step  on 
the  outer  edge  of  the  foot  as  much  as  possible.  The 
lameness  is  most  marked  when  the  horse  is  driven 
on  hard  roads.  In  standing,  the  leg  is  bent  to  take 
all  weight  off  the  affected  foot.  If  the  foot  is  ex- 
amined, a  dark  brown  spot  will  be  seen  where  the  corn 
is  located.  Tapping  this  spot  with  a  hammer  causes 
pain . 

In  most  cases  the  dark  spot  is  a  collection  of  blood 
or  pus  that  needs  to  be  removed.  A  hole  cut  through 
the  sole  of  the  foot,  allowing  this  fluid  to  escape,  gives 
relief.  The  hole  should  be  washed  out  and  turpentine, 
white  lotion  or  a  five  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid 
in  water  applied.  The  shoe  should  be  removed  and  the 
animal  kept  in  a  clean  stall.  As  soon  as  the  discharge 
ceases,  a  little  pine  tar  can  be  applied  to  the  opening  to 
keep  out  the  dirt.  In  treating  corns,  avoid  burning 
with  caustics  unless  "proud  flesh"  forms,  as  this  is 
likely  to  injure  the  tissues  and  interfere  with  the  growth 
of  new  horn.  A  broad  webbed  bar  shoe  should  be 
put  on  with  a  leather  between  the  sole  and  the  shoe. 
The  leather  is  to  be  kept  on  only  a  few  days  until  the 
horn  grows  a  little,  or  it  is  likely  to  collect  dirt.  Horses 
subject  to  corns  should  be  shod  with  wide  webbed  bar 
shoes  to  protect  the  feet.  Wearing  a  shoe  for  too 
long  a  period  without  resetting  so  that  it  bears  on  the 
sole  of  the  foot  may  cause  corns. 


Quittor,    or    Gravel  99 

QUITTOR 

(^uittor  is  a  name  applied  to  a  running  sore  or  fistula 
occurring  at  the  top  of  the  hoof  or  coronet.  It  is 
sometimes  called  "gravel." 

Quittors  are  the  result  of  some  injury,  such  as  treads 
or  calks  of  a  mate,  nail  pricks  in  shoeing,  "picking 
up  a  nail,"  corns,  or  puncture  of  the  sole  of  the  foot 
that  allows  gravel  or  other  foreign  bodies  to  get  in  and 
injure  the  soft  tissues. 

In  the  earl}^  stages,  soon  after  the  injury  and  while 
pus  is  forming,  there  is  severe  lameness.  The  pus, 
unable  to  break  through  the  horny  hoof,  works  its  way 
to  the  top  and  there  breaks  and  discharges.  In  many 
cases,  the  part  heals  without  any  treatment,  but  in 
others,  a  chronic  running  sore  forms.  In  the  chronic 
form  the  horse  may  not  be  very  lame 

In  the  early  stages  of  the  quittor,  pull  oif  the  shoe 
and  apply  a  good  poultice,  spread  on  a  strong  piece  of 
cloth.  By  tying  it  above  the  hoof,  it  can  be  kept  on 
for  two  days,  but  it  should  be  changed  frequently. 
Apply  the  poultice  as  hot  as  the  animal  can  bear  it,  and 
when  removed  finally  the  foot  should  be  washed  and 
greased.  As  soon  as  pus  has  formed,  the  sore  should  be 
opened  and  washed  out  with  a  good  antiseptic.  Pure 
tincture  of  iodine  should  be  injected  twice  a  week,  and 
the  fistula  washed  out  every  other  day  with  warm  water 
to  which  is  added  a  mild  antiseptic.  The  treatment 
is  the  same  as  for  a  fistula  of  the  withers.  Quittors  of 
long  standing  may  have  to  be  operated  upon  surgically 
to  remove  diseased  tissues,  before  they  will  heal, 


100  The    Care    of  Animals 

PUNCTURED    WOUNDS    OF    THE    FOOT 

These  are  wounds  made  hy  some  sharp  object  punc- 
turing the  sole  or  the  frog  and  injuring  the  soft  tissues. 
They  are  likely  to  be  serious,  as  the  coffin -joint  is  often 
punctured,  and  tetanus  (lockjaw)  follows  in  other  cases. 
Generally  the  injury  arises  from  "picking  up  a  nail"  or 
from  the  prick  of  a  nail  in  shoeing.  In  all  cases  of 
sudden  and  decided  lameness,  the  foot  should  be  carefully 
examined  for  nails  and  similar  objects,  or  for  holes 
which  they  have  made. 

The  nail  or  foreign  body  should  first  be  withdrawn. 
If  there  is  a  collection  of  blood  or  pus,  the  hole  must  be 
enlarged,  so  that  there  is  free  drainage,  and  the  sore 
washed  out  with  a  good  antiseptic.  One  part  of  perox- 
ide of  hydrogen  to  three  of  water  is  excellent;  so  is 
a  five  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid  in  water,  pure 
turpentine,  or  a  1- to -1000  solution  of  corrosive  sub- 
limate. If  there  is  much  soreness,  the  foot  should  be 
poulticed  for  a  day  or  two  and  then  treated  as  a  corn 
is  that  has  been  opened.  The  horse  should  be  kept  in 
a  clean,  dry  stall,  so  that  no  dirt  will  get  into  the 
wound. 

THRUSH 

Thrush  is  a  deep  fissure  in  the  horny  frog  extend- 
ing to  the  sensitive  frog  and  is  associated  with  some 
inflammation  of  the  latter  and  the  discharge  of  a  small 
amount  of  bad -smelling  pus  from  the  cleft  of  the  frog. 
It  occurs  in  either  the  front  or  the  hind  feet,  most  fre- 
quently in  the  latter.     It  is  caused  in  most  cases  by 


Thrush  — Hoof    Cracks  101 

standing  in  manure  and  filth,  but  sometimes  it  occurs 
without  apparent  cause.  Often  it  precedes  other  dis- 
eases of  the  foot,  and  seems  to  be  brought  on  by  a 
debilitated  condition  of  the  system. 

There  is  a  crack  in  the  horny  frog  with  a  foul -smell- 
ing discharge.  There  is  lameness  or  tenderness, 
especially  when  the  foot  strikes  some  hard  object. 
The  hoof  is  dry  and  the  heel  feverish. 

Poultice  the  foot  to  soften  the  parts,  trim  away  the 
edges  of  the  cleft  so  as  to  get  at  the  seat  of  the  disease, 
make  a  swab  and  cauterize  the  cleft  thoroughly  with 
"butter  of  antimony"  or  some  other  liquid  caustic. 
After  using  a  caustic  once,  calomel  can  be  dusted  into 
the  cleft  once  daily;  this  dries  up  the  discharge  and  in 
most  cases  will  cure  the  disease.  Compound  tincture  of 
benzoin  and  oil  of  tar,  equal  parts,  is  also  good.  The 
shoes  should  be  removed  and  frog  pressure  given.  If  it 
is  necessary  to  work  the  horse,  "tips"  or  bar  shoes 
can  be  put  on.  It  is  essential  that  the  foot  be  kept 
clean  and  dry.  If  the  horse  is  debilitated,  good  nourish- 
ing food,  with  tonic  condition-powders,  should  be  given. 
Pulling  off  the  shoes  and  giving  a  run  at  pasture 
will  often  effect  a  cure. 

CRACKED     HOOFS 

A  "quarter -crack"  is  a  crack  in  the  wall  of  the  hoof, 
beginning  at  the  top  or  coronet,  and  extending  down- 
ward in  the  wall.  When  the  crack  begins  at  the  bottom 
and  extends  upward  it  is  called  a  "sand-crack";  if  ia 
front  it  is   sometimes  called  a  "toe -crack." 


102  The    Care    of  Animals 

III  most  cases  cracks  in  the  walls  of  the  hoof  are 
due  to  a  dry,  weakened  condition  of  the  walls.  Sevei-e 
exertion,  especially  fast  work  on  hard  roads,  tends  to 
split  the  hoof.  Cracks  may  also  be  caused  by  an  injury 
to  the  coronet,  where  the  horny  wall  is  secreted;  this 
interferes  with  the  growth  of  horn,  and  a  crack  results. 
Excessive  growth  of  the  wall  in  unshod  horses  may 
cause  cracks. 

Quarter -crack  may  cause  severe  lameness.  The  hoof 
spreads  as  the  animal  steps  on  it  and  the  soft  tissues 
are  often  pinched  in  the  crack  as  the  foot  is  picked  up 
and  the  crack  closes,  thus  causing 
the  parts  to  bleed.  Sand  and 
gravel  may  get  into  the  crack  and 
cause  trouble,  or  "proud  flesh"  may 
form  that  interferes  with  the  heal- 
ing. In  some  cases  there  is  no 
lameness,  and  unscrupulous  horse- 
traders  sometimes   hide  the  cracks 

Fig.  25.     Quarter-erack  \yy    filling    with    SOap,     iu    Ordcr    tO 

closed  by  nails. 

dispose  or  the  horse. 
The  crack  is  to  be  neatly  cleaned  out;  if  "proud  flesh" 
exists,  it  is  to  be  destroyed  with  a  caustic,  antiseptics 
applied  to  the  crack,  and  then  pine  tar,  to  keep  out  dirt 
and  assist  in  healing.  The  crack  should  be  drawn 
together  by  a  shoeing  nail  driven  across  the  crack, 
drawn  tightly  together  and  clinched  (Fig.  25).  It  may 
be  necessary  to  drill  the  holes  for  the  nails,  but  in  most 
cases  a  good  shoeing  smith  can  drive  them.  Small  clips 
are  made  for  this  purpose,  which  can  be  fitted  into 
grooves  on  each  side  of  the  crack,  and  closed  by  large 


Shoeing    Horses  103 

pincers.  A  light  blister  applied  to  the  coronet  where 
the  crack  starts  will  stimulate  the  growth  of  horn. 
Cutting  through  the  wall  at  right  angles  to  the  point 
of  the  crack  will  often  prevent  the  crack  extend- 
ing further.  The  hoof  should  be  kept  well  oiled. 
Care  should  be  taken,  until  it  is  well  healed,  that 
the  horse  is  not  subjected  to  severe  exertion  that 
will  split  the  crack  open. 

SHOEING 

Shoeing  consists  in  fastening  to  the  hoof  of  the 
animal  some  hard  substance,  usually  iron.  Shoes  are 
applied  for  several  reasons: 

(1)  Shoeing  is  employed  to  prevent  the  rapid  wear- 
ing away  of  the  horn  of  the  hoof,  and  thus  to  prevent 
the  feet  from  getting  sore  and  tender  Avhen  traveling. 
This  is  the  reason  for  shoeing  most  horses.  In  some 
parts  of  the  country  it  is  not  common  to  shoe  horses 
unless  they  show  the  need  of  it  by  getting  footsore 
when  traveling,  especially  on  a  hard  road.  When  horses 
show  the  need  of  shoeing,  it  is  first  seen  in  the  fore  feet. 
In  many  parts  of  the  country,  shoes  are  applied  only  to 
the  front  feet,  except  in  rare  cases  in  which  the  hind 
feet  show  signs  of  too  rapid  wear.  For  ordinary 
uses,  a  shoe  without  calks  and  just  heavy  enough  to 
prevent  bending  is  best;  such  shoes  are  often  called 
"plates."  If  shoes  are  too  heavy  they  are  likely  to 
tire  a  horse  and  make  him  leg -weary. 

(2)  When  roads  are  slippery,  from  ice  or  other 
causes,  or  when  horses  are  subjected  to  heavy  pulling,  it 


104  The    Care    of  Animals 

is  necessary  to  shoe  them  so  that  they  cau  get  a  grip  that 
will  enable  them  to  stand,  or  to  pull  loads.  For  this 
purpose  shoes  with  sharp  calks  are  usually  put  on. 
For  horses  that  are  used  for  rapid  driving  on  asphalt 
paved  streets,  a  rubber-faced  shoe  gives  good  results,  as 
it  not  only  prevents  slipping,  but  it  lessens  the  jar  upon 
the  foot.  In  winter,  during  icy  weather,  when  horses 
are  not  "sharp"  but  have  on  smooth  "plates,"  or  shoes 
with  the  calks  worn  smooth,  the  horse  can  travel  much 
better  on  icy  roads  if  the  shoes  are  removed  entirely,  as 
the  horny  hoof  is  less  slippery  than  the  smooth  shoe. 
There  are  upon  the  market  several  kinds  of  shoes  that 
have  removable  calks,  so  that  in  icy  weather  sharp 
calks  can  be  inserted  without  removing  the  shoe. 
Such  shoes  give  good  service  if  they  are  looked  after 
and  the  calks  are  not  allowed  to  remain  so  long  that 
they  are  difficult  to  remove. 

(3)  It  is  often  necessary  with  horses  that  are  intended 
for  speed,  or  road  work,  to  apply, shoes  of  unusual  pattern 
or  weight  for  the  purpose  of  modifjdng  their  action  in 
some  manner.  Such  shoes  have  to  be  made  and  set  to 
suit  each  individual  case.  In  heavy  draft  horses  extra 
heavy  shoes  are  sometimes  put  on  the  front  feet  to  im- 
part action  to  these  members.  Peculiar  shoes  are  often 
applied  to  the  feet  to  suit  abnormal  or  diseased  condi- 
tions; such  an  one  is  the  high -heeled  shoe  used  to  give 
relief  in  bone  spavin. 

(4)  "Tips"  are  sometimes  used.  They  are  thin  steel 
shoes  applied  to  the  toe  and  allowed  to  extend  a  short 
distance  on  the  inside  and  outside  quarters  (Fig.  26). 
They  are  like  an  ordinary  shoe,  except  that  they  come 


Tip    Shoes 


105 


only  half  way  back  and  are  thin  at  the  ends.  They 
are  applied  by  cutting  away  the  wall  at  the  toe  until 
the  tip  can  be  put  on  and  the  foot  kept  level.  Tips 
never  have  calks.  The  advantages 
of  tips  are  man}-.  They  allow  the 
heel  to  come  to  the  ground,  thus 
giving  plenty  of  frog  pressure, 
which  is  so  important  in  preserv- 
ing a  health}^  foot.  The  tip  of 
steel  protects  the  hoof  from  too 
rapid  wearing  away,  and  keeps 
the  wall  from  splitting.  Sole, 
heel  and  frog  all  coming  in  con- 
tact with  the  ground  or  pavement, 
the  animal  is  able  to  get  a  good 
grip,  and  thus  to  avoid  slipping. 
After  a  horse  has  been  driven  with 
tips  for  a  time  the  hoof  becomes 
tough  and  seems  to  wear  away 
very  slowly.  If  tips  are  well  ap- 
plied, they  usually  give  excellent  results,  both  on  dirt 
roads  and  pavements. 


Fig.  26.     Contracted  foot 
shod  with  tip  slioe 


FITTING    THE    SHOE 


The  sole  of  the  foot  should  be  kept  perfectly  level, 
as  any  undue  weight  on  one  side  of  the  foot  may  lead 
to  injuries  of  the  joints.  All  loose  horn  should  be  re- 
moved, and  the  wall  of  the  hoof  leveled  with  the  sole. 
The  bars  should  not  be  cut  away,  as  they  act  as  natural 
braces  to  the  heels;    and  the  frog  is  to  be  left  in  its 


106  The    Cart    of  Animals 

normal  size  and  shape  to  act  as  a  cushion  for  the  foot. 
After  the  foot  is  brought  to  its  normal  form,  the  shoe 
should  be  made  and  fitted  to  it.  The  shoe  must  be  of  the 
exact  size  of  the  foot,  so  that  it  will  come  flush  with 
the  outer  edge  of  the  hoof.  The  nail -holes  should  not 
be  very  close  to  the  edge  of  the  shoe,  for  in  that  case  it 
is  necessary  to  drive  the  nails  too  far  up  into  the  wall  to 
make  them  hold.  The  shoe  should  be  fitted  cold,  or  just 
touched  to  the  foot  while  hot,  never  burned  into  posi- 
tion. The  nails  should  be  small,  and  when  driven 
should  be  brought  out  well  down  on  the  hoof.  If 
driven  too  high,  when  the  horse  is  re -shod  the  former 
nail -holes  are  near  the  edge  and  serve  to  w^eaken  the 
hoof  and  interfere  with  the  driving  of  new  nails.  After 
the  shoe  is  fastened,  the  nails  are  to  be  clinched  in  small 
grooves  filed  for  the  purpose.  After  this  is  done,  the 
clinches  may  be  smoothed  with  the  rasp;  but  the  outside 
of  the  hoof  should  not  be  rasped,  as  this  will  remove 
its  natural  protective  covering. 

Shoes  should  be  reset  every  five  or  six  weeks,  as  the 
hoof  grows  out  over  the  shoe,  so  as  to  cause  the  shoe 
to  bear  on  the  sole  instead  of  the  wall  of  the  foot. 

Care  should  be  exercised  to  keep  the  feet  of  colts  in 
a  normal  form  before  they  are  shod,  as  irregularities  of 
the  feet  are  often  the  causes  of  disease.  When  shoes 
are  pulled  off  and  an  animal  is  to  go  barefooted,  the 
edges  of  the  hoofs  should  be  rasped  off  round,  so 
that  they  will  not  split  badly. 

In  devising  special  shoes  for  various  forms  of  lame- 
ness or  defective  gait,  the  position  that  the  animal  as- 
sumes in  travelling  is  a  good  indication  of  the  kind  of 


I 


Shoeing    a    Horse  107 

shoe  needed.  For  instance,  if  a  horse  steps  on  his 
toe,  the  inference  is  that  it  hurts  him  to  bring  the  heel 
to  the  ground;  hence,  a  high -heeled  shoe  will  usually 
give  relief. 

For  interfering,  overreaching  or  forging,  and  other 
defects  in  gait,  no  definite  directions  can  be  given. 
Each  ease  is  best  treated  after  a  careful  study  of  its 
own  peculiarities.  For  all  such  cases  as  these,  only  an 
expert  horse -shoer  should  be  consulted. 


CHAPTER  VI 

INDICATIONS    OF  DISEASE   IN  ANIMALS 

Modern  veterinary  medicine  follows  human  medi- 
cine ver3^  closely,  both  in  theory  and  practice,  and  the 
same  methods  of  treatment  are  used  in  disease,  except 
when  the  structure  of  the  animal  or  other  circum- 
stances require  a  special  modification.  The  days  of 
bleeding,  of  violent  purging,  of  large  doses  of  vile 
drugs  have  passed,  and  with  them  have  disappeared 
many  mj-thical  diseases,  which  were  once  a  source  of  fear 
to  stock -owners.  Disease  is  no  longer  the  mysterious 
visitation  of  Providence  that  it  was  then  considered  to  be. 
Its  causes  are  definite  and  in  most  cases  well  known. 
In  those  diseases  whose  cause  is  still  unknown  the 
fearful  mystery  of  other  days  has  disappeared  under 
the  scrutiny  of  definite  scientific  research. 

The  body  of  an  animal  is  constructed  upon  the  same 
general  plan  as  the  human  body.  It  is  well  known 
that  the  differences  between  man  and  the  animals  is 
not  so  largely  physical  as  mental.  There  is  the  same 
bony  framework,  with  joints  between  the  bones  to  give 
mobility,  the  bones  being  held  together  by  strong  bands 
of  Avhite  fibrous  connective  tissue,  called  ligaments. 
Covering  the  bones  and  forming  a  large  part  of  the 
body  is  the  great  mass  of  muscular  tissue  (lean  meat), 
whose  function  is  not  only  to  move   the  various  parts 

(108) 


The    Animal   Body  109 

of  the  body,  but  to  assist  the  bones  in  giving  pro- 
tection to  some  of  the  more  delicate  structures  and 
organs.  Within  the  body  is  the  digestive  system,  which 
receives  and  prepares  the  food  for  the  use  of  the 
millions  of  cells  which  constitute  the  living  body.  To 
carry  this  prepared  food  to  these  cells  is  the  work  of  the 
circulatory  system,  composed  of  the  heart  and  the  blood- 
vessels. The  arteries  carry  the  blood  from  the  heart  to 
the  different  parts  of  the  body,  the  minute  capillaries 
distribute  it  through  the  tissues,  and  the  veins  collect 
the  impure  blood  and  carry  it  back  to  the  heart. 
Thence  it  passes  to  the  lungs,  where  some  of  the 
waste  matters  are  removed  and  cast  out  in  the  exhaled 
air.  The  respiratory  system  consists  of  the  lungs, 
with  their  infinite  number  of  air-cells,  and  the  pas- 
sages leading  to  them — the  windpipe  and  its  branches 
—  through  which  pure  air  is  taken  in  and  impure  air 
breathed  out. 

The  urinary  system,  consisting  of  the  kidneys  and 
bladder  and  the  tubes  connecting  them,  serves  the  pur- 
pose of  taking  waste  matter  from  the  blood  and  excret- 
ing it  from  the  body.  Closely  associated  with  this 
system  is  the  reproductive  system,  which  consists,  in 
the  female,  of  the  uterus,  or  womb,  and  ovaries,  and 
in  the  male,  of  the  testicles,  with  the  passages  leading 
from  them.  The  function  of  this  system  is  the  re- 
production of  the  species. 

Covering  the  outside  of  the  body  is  the  skin.  Its  func- 
tions are  to  protect  the  body,  to  throw  off  waste  ma- 
terials in  the  perspiration  or  sweat,  and  to  serve  as  an 
organ  of  feeling  or  sensation.     The  nervous  system  con- 


110  The    Care    of  Animals 

trols  the  whole  body,  making  the  different  parts  act  in 
harmony.  It  enables  the  animal  to  comprehend  what 
is  going  on  around  him,  and  to  regulate  his  own  activ- 
ities. The  brain,  spinal  cord  and  nerves,  together  with 
small  masses  of  nervous  tissue  known  as  ganglia,  con- 
stitute the   nervous  s^^stem. 

When  all  of  these  different  systems  and  parts  of 
the  body  are  complete  and  in  their  normal  working 
order,  the  animal  is  said  to  be  in  a  state  of  health. 
But  when  some  parts  of  the  body  are  injured,  or  their 
work  is  in  any  way  interfered  with,  an  abnormal  con- 
dition occurs  to  which  the  term  "disease"  is  applied. 

It  is  essential  that  the  observer  be  familiar  with  the 
actions  of  the  animal,  not  only  in  a  state  of  health,  but 
also  in  disease, — since  it  is  by  comparison  of  these  two 
conditions  that  disease  is  recognized.  Signs  of  disease 
are  commonly  known  as  "symptoms."  The  study  of  these 
symptoms  and  the  recognition  of  their  causes  is  called 
"diagnosing  the  disease,"  or  "diagnosis."  The  expression 
of  an  opinion  as  to  the  probable  future  course  of  the 
disease  is  called  "prognosis,"  and,  if  favorable,  indicates 
that  the  observer  believes  that  the  animal  will  recover; 
if  unfavorable,  that  it  will  not.  The  following  points 
are  be  particularly  noted  in  examining  sick  animals. 

PULSE 

The  pulse  is  the  throbbing  of  an  artery.  By  it  is 
determined  the  heart's  action  and  also  the  condition  of 
the  nervous  system.  In  the  horse,  the  pulse  is  usually 
taken  where   the    submaxillary  artery  winds  under  the 


The   Pulse  111 

lower  jaw.  By  standing  at  the  left  side  of  the  horse's 
head  and  running  the  finger  gently  along  the  lower 
jaw-bone,  the  artery  will  be  felt  just  at  the  front 
edge  of  the  large  muscle  at  the  side  of  the  jaw.  In 
taking  the  pulse  of  a  cow,  the  person  stands  on  the 
left  side  of  the  animal,  but  takes  the  pulse  of  the 
right  jaw  by  reaching  over  the  neck.  In  the  dog  and 
the  sheep  the  pulse  is  usually  taken  from  the  femoral 
artery,  which  comes  down  close  to  the  bone  on  the 
inside  of  the  hind  leg. 

In  health,  the  pulse  feels  full,  round  and  regular, 
as  it  throbs  against  the  finger.  It  vaxjes  in  frequency 
in  the  different  animals  as  follows: 

Horse      30  to  40  beats  per  minute. 

Cow 40  to  50      " 

Sheep 70  to  80      '*        " 

Dog 70  to  90      '* 

The  pulse  beats  more  rapidly  in  young  animals  than 
in  old.  Excitement  and  exercise  also  increase  its  ra- 
pidity. The  pulse  varies  not  only  in  rate,  but  also  in 
quality.  The  pulse  may  be  "hard";  that  is,  the  artery 
wall  is  not  easily  depressed  by  the  finger.  A  "quick" 
pulse  is  one  in  which  the  beat  comes  up  suddenly;  but 
this  does  not  necessarily  imply  a  greater  number  of  beats 
per  minute.  In  fact,  a  quick  pulse  may  be  an  infre- 
quent one.  A  "slow"  pulse  is  the  opposite  of  the  quick, 
the  beat  coming  up  very  gradually  against  the  finger. 
A  "soft"  pulse  is  the  opposite  of  the  hard.  It  is  easily 
compressed  by  the  finger.  An  "irregular"  pulse  beats 
unevenly, — very  rapidly  for  a  time  and  then  very  slowly. 


112  The    Care   of  Animals 

An  "intermittent"  pulse  drops  a  beat  regularly,  as,  for 
instance,  if  every  fourth  beat  be   wanting. 

The  different  conditions  of  the  pulse  are  often  strong 
symptoms  of  certain  diseases.  A  soft  pulse  indicates 
bronchitis;  a  slow,  full  pulse,  a  disease  of  the  brain; 
an  intermittent  pulse,  heart  trouble.  An  irregular, 
faint  and  fluttering  pulse  also  denotes  weak  heart  ac- 
tion A  hard,  quick,  bounding  pulse  usually  indicates 
acute  inflammation.  By  practice  the  veterinarian  be- 
comes very  skilful  in  diagnosing  disease  by  means  of 
the  pulse. 

TEMPERATURE 

The  temperature  of  animals  is  taken  by  means  of  a 
self- registering,  clinical  (fever)  thermometer,  inserted 
into  one  of  the  natural  openings  of  the  body,  usually  the 
anus  or  the  vulva.  The  thermometer  should  alwaj-s  be 
shaken  down  before  using,  and  allowed  to  remain  in 
the  body  at  least  three  minutes.  The  temperature  of 
animals  in  a  state  of  health  ranges  as  follows: 

Horse 100  to  101  degrees  Fahrenheit. 

Cow 100  to  103 

Sheep 101  to  103 

Dog 101  to  102 

Pig   102  to  104 

Fowls 107  to  108    *' 

A  rise  in  temperature,  commonly  called  fever,  de- 
notes inflammation  and  a  rapid  oxidation  of  the  tissues 
of  the  body.  A  rise  in  temperature  of  six  degrees  or 
more  is  likely  to  be  dangerous,  unless  it  is  caused  by 
some  local  condition  that  is  soon  removed.     In  disease, 


Temperature    and   Respiration  113 

a  rise  of  four  degrees  is  serious.  A  sudden  fall  of  tem- 
perature below  normal,  unless  due  to  some  local  cause, 
is  always  serious,  and  usually  denotes  waning  vitality 
and  the  approach  of  death.  A  person  who  takes  care 
of  much  stock  should  equip  himself  with  a  good  clinical 
thermometer  and  familiarize  himself  with  its  use.  He 
will  find  it  a  valuable  aid  in  recognizing  disease. 

RESPIRATION 

Respiration,  commonly  called  breathing,  consists  of 
two  movements — the  taking  in  of  air  (inspiration)  and 
the  forcing  out  of  air  (expiration).  In  the  horse  there 
is  usually  one  respiration  to  three  pulse -beats.  In 
health,  a  horse  takes  from  twelve  to  fifteen  inspirations 
per  minute;  a  cow,  ten  to  twenty-five,  and  a  dog  about 
twenty.  Rapid  breathing  may  be  caused  by  excitement, 
by  exercise  or  by  excessive  heat.  The  breathing  is  also 
faster  when  the  animal's  stomach  is  distended  with  food 
or  with  gas,  or  if,  for  any  other  reason,  the  capacity  of 
the  lung  cavity  is  diminished. 

Short,  rapid  or  labored  breathing  usually  indicates 
disease  of  the  respiratory  organs.  Snoring  indicates 
an  obstruction  of  the  air-passages  of  the  throat  or  head, 
or  it  may  come  from  disease  of  the  brain.  It  often 
marks  the  near  approach  of  death.  Abdominal  breath- 
ing makes  prominent  use  of  the  diaphragm  (midriff) 
and  the  abdominal  muscles.  It  usually  indicates  sore- 
ness of  the  lungs,  and  in  horses  is  a  symptom  of 
heaves. 

Coughing  is   the  forcible  expulsion  of  the  air  from 


114  The    Care   of  Animals 

the  lungs,  with  a  partial  closure  of  the  glottis.  It 
is  an  endeavor  to  remove  some  irritating  substance 
from  the  lungs  or  throat.  There  are  two  varieties  of 
cough  commonly  recognized  by  veterinarians.  The 
"moist"  cough,  in  which  mucus  is  expelled,  accompanies 
an  excessive  secretion  and  collection  of  fluids  in  the 
air-passages.  The  "dry"  cough  is  of  a  hacking  nature 
and  indicates  irritation  of  the  throat  or  lungs. 

THE    MUCOUS    MEMBRANE 

The  mucous  membrane  is  the  soft,  smooth,  pink 
lining  of  all  the  natural  openings  of  the  body.  It 
lines  throughout  its  length  the  alimentary  canal,  and 
all  other  organs  to  which  the  external  air  may  be 
admitted.  If  any  mucous  surface  is  congested  and 
red,  it  shows  a  general  irritated  condition  of  this 
tissue.  Such  a  condition  is  observed  in  the  disease 
commonly  called  "pink-eye,"  If  the  mucous  mem- 
branes are  abnormally  pale,  it  indicates  a  debilitated 
or  anaemic  condition  of  the  body.  A  sudden  and 
marked  pallor  of  the  mucous  membranes  accompanies 
an  excessive  loss  of  blood.  If  it  is  blue  or  slate - 
colored,  a  lack  of  oxygen  in  the  blood  is  indicated. 
A  yellow  tint  in  the  mucous  membrane  shows  that  the 
liver  is  deranged. 

EXCRETIONS 

The  excretions  of  the  body,  the  faeces  (dung), 
urine  and  perspiration,  vary,  in  diseased  animals,  not 
only  in    quantity  and  appearance,   but    often  in  com- 


The    Excretions  115 

position  as  well.  The  excretions  are  an  excellent  in- 
dex to  the  general  condition  of  the  bowels,  kidneys  and 
skin.  During  fevers  the  urine  is  scanty  and  highly 
colored.  In  azoturia,  in  horses,  it  varies  in  color  from 
light  brown  to  a  dark  coffee  color,  or  almost  black. 
In  Texas  or  southern  cattle  fever,  the  urine  of  the 
affected  animal  is  red  in  color.  In  mares,  and  some- 
times in  geldings,  the  urine  is  often  thick  and  of  a  light 
yellow  appearance  in  early  summer.  This  condition 
is  due  to  the  large  amounts  of  salts  and  mucus  in  the 
urine,  and  it  is  not  a  serious  symptom.  Some  horses 
sweat  profusely  from  slight  exertion.  In  many  in- 
stances this  is  due  to  an  unusually  heavy  coat  of  hair. 
If  this  is  true  the  coat  should  be  clipped.  In  some 
cases  of  profuse  sweating  the  kidneys  are  to  blame. 
They  may  be  stimulated  to  greater  activity  by  small 
doses  of  saltpeter,  a  heaping  teaspoonful  twice  daily, 
given  for  a  few  days.  This  will  often  overcome  the 
trouble  by  relieving  the  skin  of  excessive  labor  as  an 
excretory  organ. 

GENERAL    APPEARANCE 

Sick  animals  usually  assume  the  position  that  will 
give  most  relief,  or  lessening  of  the  pain,  to  a  diseased 
or  injured  part.  Therefore,  a  person  attempting  to 
determine  its  condition  should  approach  the  animal 
very  quietly,  and,  before  disturbing  it,  should  care- 
fully note  its  general  appearance  and  posture.  This  is 
an  important  aid  in  determining  the  seat  of  the  trouble. 
In  taking  the  pulse,  temperature  and  respiration,  the 


116  The    Care    of  Animals 

animal  should  be  disturbed  as  little  as  possible.  The 
appearance  of  the  coat  should  be  carefully  noted.  Is 
the  hair  erect,  as  is  frequently  the  case  during  a  chill  ? 

Note  the  condition  of  the  skin  as  to  its  feeling  to  the 
hand,  whether  harsh,  scurfy  or  "hidebound."  Such 
a  condition  usually'  indicates  poor  nutrition,  either 
from  lack  of  food  or  from  some  digestive  trouble. 
The  appetite  should  also  be  noticed,  signs  of  the 
presence  or  absence  of  pain,  dullness,  or  nervousness. 
In  fact,  the  general  expression  of  the  face  and  the 
body  is  very  important  in  diagnosing  disease.  If  the 
animal  is  a  female,  the  question  of  pregnancy,  milk 
secretion  or  period  of  heat  should  always  be  taken 
into  consideration. 

A  careful  examination  should  always  be  made  of 
the  food  and  water.  By  inquiry,  one  should  determine 
the  work,  lack  of  exercise,  duration  of  sickness,  and 
all  other  facts  bearing  upon  the  histor^^  of  the  case. 
An  incidental  remark,  giving  an  apparently  insignifi- 
cant fact,  often  furnishes  the  clue  which  will  lead  to 
the  correct  diagnosis  of  the  disease  and  to  the  determin- 
ing of  the  cause.  Animals  having  nervous  diseases, 
especially  those  affecting  the  brain,  should  always  be 
approached  with  great  care,  as  they  are  often  irrespon- 
sible and  may  do  serious  injury  to  those  who  treat 
them.  This  is  notably  true  of  dogs  which  show  symp- 
toms of  rabies  (hydrophobia).  In  examining  or  caring 
for  animals  that  may  be  suffering  from  a  contagious 
disease,  precautions  should  alwaj^s  be  taken  to  prevent 
the  infection  of  persons,  or  the  spreading  of  the  dis- 
ease to  other  animals  by  carelessness  of  the  attendant. 


Post-mortem   Examination  117 

POST  -  MORTEM   EXAMINATION 

It  is  frequently  important  to  examine  the  hody  of 
an  animal  in  order  to  discover  the  cause  of  death, 
whether  from  accident  or  disease,  and  to  determine  the 
nature  of  the  disease.  In  order  to  determine  any  ab- 
normal condition  of  the  organs,  a  person  familiar  with 
the  appearance  of  the  organs  in  health  should  make 
the  examination.  A  post-mortem  examination  should 
be  made  as  soon  as  possible  after  death,  as  changes 
resulting  from  decomposition  of  the  body  or  contents 
of  the  digestive  system  soon  occur,  and  these  changes 
are  likel\'  to  mislead  an  inexperienced  person.  "Rigor 
mortis,"  or  death -stiffening,  usually  begins  soon  after 
death,  varying  from  one-half  hour  to  twenty-four  hours. 
It  lasts,  on  an  average,  about  thirty  hours;  then  the 
muscles  become  softer  and  signs  of  decomposition  soon 
follow. 

The  first  thing  to  be  observed  in  post-mortem  exam- 
ination is  the  position  of  the  body,  provided  it  has 
not  been  moved.  Sometimes  animals  become  "cast," 
or  lie  down  in  such  positions  that  they  are  unable  to 
get  up  without  assistance,  and  then  die.  In  other 
cases  they  may  be  caught  in  ropes,  mangers  or  stan- 
chions and  injured  sufficiently  to  cause  death.  Signs 
of  struggling  should  be  looked  for,  especially  if  poi- 
soning is  suspected.  Malicious  poisoning  of  stock,  while 
frequently  suspected,  is  extremely  rare,  except  among 
dogs  and  cats.  The  two  poisons  most  frequently  used 
with  malicious  intent  are  strychnine  and  arsenic.  When 
strychnine  is  used  the  animal  dies  in  convulsions,  and 


118  The    Care    of  Animals 

there  is  evidence  of  struggling  or  of  spasms.  Strug- 
gling also  occurs  in  many  other  forms  of  death.  When 
arsenic  is  used  there  is  irritation  and  inflammation  of 
the  stomach  and  bowels. 

An  examination  should  be  made  for  abnormal  dis- 
charges from  the  natural  openings  of  the  body.  These 
may  occur  as  a  result  of  bloating  or  decomposition 
following  death,  or  from  the  position  of  the  body, 
which  may  allow  their  escape  by  gravity.  In  case  the 
animal  is  a  female  and  pregnant,  evidence  of  parturition 
should  be  looked  for. 

The  general  appearance  of  the  body  should  be  noted, 
whether  fat  or  thin,  as  indicating  starvation  or  disease. 

Signs  of  mange  or  itch  should  be  looked  for,  as  well 
as  evidence  of  injuries,  especiallj^  fractures  of  bones, 
punctured  or  gun-shot  wounds,  and  hernias  or  rup- 
tures. Bruises  do  not  show  plainly  on  animals  until  the 
skin  is  removed.  Sores  that  come  from  lying  in  one 
position,  or  from  struggling,  are  often  important.  In 
regions  where  Texas  fever  occurs  in  cattle,  the  skin  on 
the  abdomen  and  inside  of  the  thighs  and  legs  should 
be  examined  for  ticks. 

After  a  thorough  external  examination,  the  skin 
should  be  removed  and  the  body  examined  for  wounds 
or  bruises.  It  must  be  remembered  that,  after  death, 
the  blood  settles  in  the  lowest  parts  of  the  body,  and 
this  must  not  be  mistaken  for  disease.  The  color  of  the 
tissues  should  be  noted.  Abnormally  black,  or  bruised, 
bloody -looking  muscle,  in  joung  cattle,  may  indicate 
blackleg;  or,  in  adult  cattle  and  other  animals,  may 
be  anthrax.     The  appearance  of  the  blood  is  important. 


Post-mortem    Examination  119 

as  to  its  color  and  whether  it  is  clotted.  Thin  black 
blood  with  a  disagreeable  odor  indicates  the  presence  of 
germs,  and  blood  poisoning  or  a  contagious  or  infec- 
tious disease  is  to  be  suspected.  If  the  white  tissues  are 
abnormally  yellow,  a  disease  of  the  liver  is  indicated. 

After  the  skin  is  removed,  the  fore  leg  on  the  upper 
side  should  be  removed,  the  ribs  cut  off  a  few  inches 
from  the  backbone  and  down  the  middle  of  the  chest. 
The  soft  tissues  should  be  cut  and  the  whole  covering 
of  one  side  removed.  This  exposes  all  the  organs  in 
the  chest  and  abdominal  cavities.  In  cutting  into  the 
cavities,  the  quantity  of  watery  fluid  that  escapes,  its 
color  and  its  odor,  should  be  noticed.  If  an  abnormal 
quantity  escapes  from  the  abdomen  it  indicates  dropsy 
or  a  rupture  of  the  bladder.  In  the  latter  case  the 
characteristic  odor  of  urine  is  present.  If  the  fluid  is 
red  in  color  it  indicates  an  inflammation  of  the  bowels 
or  the  lining  membrane  of  the  abdomen,  or  the  pres- 
ence of  blood.  The  fluid  of  the  chest  cavity  is  also 
important.  An  excessive  quantity  indicates  an  inflam- 
mation of  the  lungs.  In  this  case  there  are  usually 
fibrous  adhesions  between  the  lungs  and  the  chest -wall. 

The  external  color  of  the  stomach  and  intestines  is 
important.  If  red,  the  organs  are  congested;  and  if 
dark  red  or  purple  in  color,  inflamed.  The  presence 
of  tumors,  abscesses  or  growths  on  the  intestines,  liver, 
spleen  or  inside  abdominal  walls  should  be  looked  for, 
as  well  as  the  appearance  of  the  gall-bladder  in  cattle, 
sheep  and  swine.  The  size  of  the  abdominal  organs 
is  also  important.  The  quantity,  kind  and  condition 
of  the  food  in  the  stomach  and  intestines  are  important, 


120  The    Care    of  Animals 

as  is  the  presence  of  foreign  bodies,  hair -balls  and 
parasites  in  the  intestines-.  Nails  and  other  foreign 
bodies  are  frequently  found  in  the  reticulum  or  "  honey- 
comb" of  cattle,  but  are  of  no  significance  unless  there 
is  some  local  injury.  Soon  after  death  the  digestive 
juices  begin  to  .digest  the  stomach,  and  may  produce 
holes  in  its  walls;  and  in  cattle  the  lining  membrane 
usually  slips  off  in  large  patches.  These  conditions 
should  not  be  mistaken  for  disease. 

The  kidneys  and  bladder  should  be  examined  for 
disease,  or  the  presence  of  concretions,  or  "stones"  or 
"gravel,"  so  called.  The  color  of  the  urine  in  the 
bladder  is  important.  In  horses,  a  dark  red  or  brown- 
ish urine  indicates  azoturia;   and,  in  cattle,  Texas  fever. 

The  color  and  consistency  of  the  lungs  are  very 
important.  The  healthy  lung  is  very  soft,  spongy  and 
a  very  light  pink  in  color.  After  death  the  blood 
usually  settles  in  the  lower  lung,  making  it  dark  in 
color.  If  the  lungs  are  hard  and  firm,  and  dark  col- 
ored, inflammation  is  indicated.  When  an  inflamed 
lung  is  cut  across  there  is  often  a  marbled  appearance 
and  usually  a  fetid  odor  of  decomposition.  In  tuber- 
culosis or  consumption,  hard  lumps  are  usually  found 
on  the  outside  of  the  lungs,  or  on  the  chest- walls  and 
diaphragm  or  midriff.  (Fig.  56,  Chapter  XVI.)  The 
lymphatic  glands  between  the  lungs  are  usually  greatly 
enlarged,  and  these,  with  the  lumps  mentioned,  are 
usually  filled  with  a  yellow  cheesy  material,  or  pus. 
The  throat,  esophagus  and  nasal  passages  should  be  ex- 
amined for  foreign  bodies  or  food  that  may  have  choked 
the  animal. 


I 


CHAPTER  VII 

TREATING    SICK  ANIMALS 

The  sick  animal  should  have  the  benefits  of  good 
nursing.  By  good  nursing  is  meant  the  proper  care  of 
an  ailing  animal.  Its  aim  is  to  hasten  recovery  from 
the  ill  effects  of  the  disease.  Most  veterinarians  of  large 
experience,  if  required  to  choose  between  medicine  and 
good  nursing,  would  in  a  great  majority  of  cases  prefer 
to  do  without  medicine,  counting  the  nursing  more 
important.  A  good  nurse  for  ailing  animals  is  one  who 
understands  them  thoroughly,  who  can  supply  their 
needs,  who  is  careful  and  attentive,  studying  always 
the  well-being  and  comfort  of  his  charges. 

In  all  cases  of  disease  in  animals,  one  of  the  first 
things  to  be  done  is  to  look  for  the  cause  of  the  trouble, 
and  if  possible  to  rem.ove  it.  This  is  not  only  for  the 
benefit  of  the  ailing  animal,  but  for  others  which  may 
be  equally  susceptible  to  the  disease  but  have  not  as  3'et 
come  in  contact  with  it.  There  should  be  a  careful  ex- 
amination of  the  surroundings  of  the  animal,  the  work 
it  has  been  doing,  the  food,  water,  general  care,  exer- 
cise, exposure,  possibilities  and  sources  of  infection  with 
contagious  diseases,  and  other  circumstances.  It  is  true 
that  in  many  cases  there  are  severe  and  acute  symptoms 
that  require  immediate  and  vigorous  attention,  such  as 
colic  in  horses  or  bloating  in  cattle;   but  even  in  these 

(121) 


122  The    Care   of  Animals 

instances  the  course  is  the  same — the  real  cause  of  the 
trouble  should  be  sought  for,  and  if  possible  removed. 

Sick  animals  should  be  placed,  as  soon  as  possible, 
in  comfortable  quarters  where  the  proper  care  and  at- 
tention can  be  supplied.  In  many  cases  they  will  be 
found  sick  among  the  very  conditions  that  have  caused 
the  disease,  or  that  have  at  least  weakened  the  animal's 
constitution.  Surroundings  may  be  injurious  in  various 
ways, — such  as  subjecting  the  animals  to  extremes  of 
heat  or  cold  or  to  inclement  weather. 

BOX    STALLS     FOR    SICK    ANIMALS 

One  of  the  most  important  things  in  the  treatment 
of  sick  horses  and  cattle  is  a  box  stall  of  some  sort, 
where  the  animal  can  be  kept.  There  is  probably  no 
one  thing  so  valuable,  and  yet  so  commonly  lacking 
in  farm  barns.  Not  only  in  cases  of  sickness  is  it 
useful.  It  is  a  place  in  which  to  confine  an  animal 
when  she  is  about  to  give  birth  to  her  young.  It  is 
invaluable  for  the  immediate  care  of  the  young  after 
birth,  and  for  the  confining  of  them  at  weaning  time. 

A  box  stall  should  be  located  where  it  will  be  dry 
and  well  ventilated,  warm  in  winter,  cool  in  summer. 
It  should  be  10  x  12  feet  in  size  and  high,  to  allow 
for  good  ventilation.  It  should  be  strongly  made  and 
ceiled  on  the  inside  and  overhead,  so  that  it  can  be 
readily  disinfected.  A  plank  floor  should  be  laid.  Dirt 
or  paved  floors,  while  good  in  some  ways,  are  likely 
to  be  damp  and  cold.  Earth  floors  cannot  be  disin- 
fected easily.    Two  strong  wide  doors,  one  opening  into 


Box    Stalls    for    Sick    Animals  123 

the  barn  and  one  into  a  smooth  yard,  are  important 
adjuncts.  The  doors  should  not  be  opposite,  as  that 
would  produce  a  draft.  They  should  be  made  with 
independent  upper  and  lower  halves.  The  doors  should 
be  wide  enough  so  that  an  animal  can  be  easily  carried 
in  when  unable  to  walk;  and  it  is  necessarj'  sometimes 
to  get  him  out  while  in  the  same  condition.  In  the 
corner  opposite  the  inner  door,  there  should  be  a  win- 
dow, protected  with  bars  and  arranged  so  that  it  can 
be  opened  for  ventilation,  and  darkened  w^hen  necessary. 
In  another  corner  should  be  placed  a  feed -box,  which 
can  be  removed  when  not  in  use.  There  should  be 
strong  rings  for  tying  and  for  drawing  the  head  up 
for  drenching.  Strong  hooks  in  the  ceiling  will  be 
found  to  be  useful. 

In  caring  for  sick  animals,  the  quarters  should  be 
kept  as  clean,  tidy  and  free  from  medicinal  and  other 
disagreeable  odoi-s  as  possible.  The  floors  should  be 
scraped  frequently,  but  not  washed,  unless  for  some 
particular  purpose,  as  washing  makes  the  quarters  too 
damp.  If  it  can  lie  down,  the  animal  should  be  well 
bedded  with  fine,  dry,  loose  litter.  In  cases  in  which 
sick  animals  are  disposed  to  eat  the  bedding,  tan -bark, 
moss  or  even  sawdust  can  be  used.  Bedding  should 
be  removed  when  not  needed.  The  quarters  should  be 
kept  at  a  comfortable  temperature,  and,  above  all, 
should  be  well  ventilated,  as  pure  air  is  essential  in 
sickness.  Sufficient  light  should  be  admitted  to  make 
the  quarters  cheerful,  except  that  for  special  reasons  and 
particular  diseases  the  stall  should  be  darkened.  In 
some  nervous  afflictions  and  diseases  of  the  eye  dark- 


124  The    Care   of  Animals 

ening    the    room    may    be   necessary;    also,    to  prevent 
annoyance  from  flies. 

BLANKETS,    BANDAGES,    SLINGS 

The  sick  animal  can  be  protected  against  the  cold 
or  from  drafts  by  covering  with  woollen  blankets,  the 
weight  of  the  blanket  being  carefnlly  adapted  to  the 
temperature.  To  protect  the  extremities,  light  woollen 
bandages  may  be  applied,  after  rubbing  the  parts  lightly 
to  stimulate  the  circulation. 

Bandages  are  applied  for  protection,  warmth,  sup- 
port and  for  medicinal  purposes.  A  "sweating"  ban- 
dage is  applied  by  first  putting  on  a  cotton  bandage 
thoroughly  wet  with  cold  water  and  covering  this  with 
oiled  silk  or  other  impervious  material  to  prevent  evap- 
oration. Bandages  for  protection  or  support  are  made 
from  strips  of  woollen  cloth,  about  three  inches  wide 
and  six  feet  long.  They  are  first  rolled  into  a  neat 
roll.  In  applying  them,  one  begins  at  the  lower  or 
smaller  portion  of  the  part  to  be  bandaged,  and  winds 
upward  (Fig.  27).  The  adjusting  of  bandages  so  that 
they  are  smooth  and  remain  in  position  without  in- 
terfering with  the  circulation  requires  considerable 
skill.  Woven  bandages,  which  possess  considerable 
elasticity,  are  more  satisfactory^  than  those  made  of 
ordinary  woollen  cloth. 

Medicinal  substances  are  often  applied  to  a  part  by 
saturating  the  bandage;  but  care  must  be  taken  in  ap- 
plying liniments  or  other  irritating  substances  in  this 
way,  as  they  may  blister  severely. 


126  The    Care    of  Animals 

A  sling  is  frequently  used  in  caring  for  sick  or  in- 
jured animals.  It  consists  of  a  wide  strip  of  stout 
canvas,  placed  under  the  animal  and  supported  from 
above,  usually  by  means  of  a  chain  and  tackle,  so  that 
the  weight  of  the  animal  may  be  taken  off  his  legs  and 
he  still  be  kept  in  an  upright  position.  In  using  slings, 
it  is  rarely  advisable  to  attempt  to  carry  the  entire 
weight  of  the  animal.  The  sling  is  usually  placed 
under  the  animal  so  that  he  can  settle  into  it  of  his 
own  accord  when  he  gets  tired.  It  is  sometimes  neces- 
sary to  raise  animals  by  means  of  slings,  but  the 
animals  are  rarely  suspended  in  them  for  any  length 
of  time. 

When  animals  are  unable  to  lie  down  for  a  consider- 
able time,  either  from  an  injury  or  other  cause,  they 
will  often  rest  themselves  by  leaning  against  supports. 
Wooden  side  supports  can  be  placed  in  about  the  posi- 
tion that  shafts  would  occupy  on  the  horse.  One  should 
go  across  just  in  front  of  the  breast,  and,  in  case  of  an 
injury  or  lameness  behind,  another  against  the  haunches. 
These  supports  should  be  protected  by  means  of  cloths 
or  blankets.  Animals  are  quick  to  take  advantage  of 
such  things,  and  will  get  much  relief  by  leaning  against 
them.  Such  an  arrangement  is  commonly  called  a 
"lean-to."  Animals  lying  down  can  often  be  bolstered 
up  into  favorable  positions  by  using  sacks  filled  with 
bedding. 

As  a  general  thing,  grooming  sick  animals  lightly 
with  hand -rubbing  gives  them  relief.  Exceptions  must 
be  made  in  some  nervous  diseases,  when  it  is  necessary 
to  keep  the  animal  free  from  all  disturbances. 


Feeding    Sick   Animals  127 

FOOD   FOR   SICK   ANIJ^IALS 

The  food  plays  an  important  part  in  the  treatment  of 
siek  animals.  In  most  diseases  an  effort  must  be  made 
to  maintain  the  strength  of  the  body  during  the  illness. 
If  the  animal  can  eat,  then  easily  digestible,  nutritious, 
but  not  bulky  foods  should  be  supplied,  especially 
laxative  foods  that  will  keep  the  bowels  open.  Sickness 
usually  brings  on  constipation,  due  largely  to  lack  of 
exercise;  and  this  condition  should  be  overcome  as  far 
as  possible  by  proper  foods.  The  appetite  of  sick  ani- 
mals is  likely  to  be  very  capricious,  and  is  often  want- 
ing altogether.  Therefore,  food  should  be  offered  in 
as  attractive  form  as  possible.  A  small  amount  should 
be  given  at  a  time,  and  if  it  is  refused  it  should  be 
taken  away  at  once.  But  the  offer  should  be  frequently 
repeated.  To  force  food  on  a  sick  animal  is  advisable 
only  in  those  cases  when  recovery  depends  largely  upon 
the  maintenance  of  strength.  It  is  seldom  a  good  plan 
to  place  medicines  in  the  food  or  water,  unless  they  are 
tasteless  and  odorless,  as  an  animal  is  likely  to  become 
suspicious  and  refuse  the  food  when  it  is  important  that 
he  should  have  it. 

Foods  suitable  for  sick  animals  are  fresh  grass, 
roots,  such  as  carrots,  or  apples  from  the  hand,  bran 
mashes,  gruels  and  milk.  These  may  contain  beaten 
raw  eggs,  oats  dry  or  boiled,  or  ground  oats  and  bran 
mixed  with  cut  hay  and  wet  with  cold  water.  If  an 
animal  is  very  thirsty,  small  quantities  of  fresh  water 
should  be  given  frequently  until  the  thirst  is  quenched. 
Except  in  rare  instances,  sick  animals  may  be  allowed 


128  The    Care    of  Animals 

all  the  fresh  water  they  want.  A  little  salt  sprinkled  on 
the  food  often  proves  to  be  attractive.  The  feed-boxes, 
pails  and  other  utensils  should  be  kept  clean  and 
free  from  medicinal  odors.  As  was  said  at  the  begin- 
ning, the  most  important  thing  in  nursing  sick  animals 
is  that  the  attendant  be  kind  and  quiet;  that  he 
look  carefully  after  the  needs  and  wants  of  his  patient, 
and,  if  reasonable,  supply  them  regularly. 

GIVING    MEDICINE 

In  giving  medicine  to  a  sick  animal  the  same  rules 
are  applicable  as  in  giving  it  to  a  human  being.  Do 
not  give  medicine  unless  upon  competent  advice,  or 
unless  it  is  given  intelligently  for  a  definite  purpose. 
Give  no  medicines  to  animals  that  you  would  not  be 
willing  to  take  yourself  in  small  amounts.  Strong 
medicines  should  be  diluted  until  there  is  no  danger  of 
burning  the  patient's  mouth  or  throat,  or  of  stran- 
gling him. 

The  Drench. — Medicines  can  be  given  to  a  horse  in 
the  form  of  a  "drench."  The  medicines  are  first  dis- 
solved in  water  or  other  suitable  liquid.  The  horse's 
head  is  drawn  up  by  means  of  a  rope,  a  loop  of  which 
is  placed  back  of  the  incisor  teeth  of  the  upper  jaw, 
the  end  passed  under  the  nose -band  of  the  halter 
and  then  drawn  over  a  beam.  With  the  head  in 
this  position,  the  medicine  will  not  run  from  the 
mouth.  By  means  of  a  taper-necked,  strong  glass 
bottle,  or  a  drenching  horn,  the  medicine  is  poured 
gradually    into    the    horse's    mouth,     at    the    corner. 


Giving    Medicine    fo    a   Horse 


129 


tJ:,-]S^ 


Fig.  -Ji 


Drenching  a  horse 


Fig.  28.  In  case  a  horse  will  not  swallow,  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  water  should  be  poured  into  the  nostril. 
This  will  overcome  the  difficulty.  Drenches  or  medi- 
cines intended  to  be  swallowed  should  not  be  given 
by  pouring  into  the  nostril,  however.    An  excellent  way 


130 


The    Care    of  Animals 


of  giving  medicine  to  horses  is  b\^  means  of  a  small 
syringe  (Fig.  29);  the  horse's  mouth  is  opened  with 
the  left  hand,  the  medicine  forced  into  the  back  part 
of  the  mouth,  and  the  sj^ringe  withdrawn.  With  a 
little  practice,  by  this  method  one  can  give  medicine 
easily  and  quickly,  without  loss  and  without  irritation 
to  the  animal.  In  giving  drenches  to  cattle, 
the  animal's  head  is  raised  by  placing  the 
thumb  and  first  finger  of  the  left  hand  in  the 
nostrils  and  lifting  the  head  high  enough  to 
keep  the  medicine  from  running  from  the 
mouth.  An  assistant,  by  taking  hold  of  the 
horns,  can  steady  the  animal's  head.  Fig.  30. 
In  giving  medicine  to  dogs,  the  mouth  can 
be  opened  by  taking  hold  of  the  upper  jaw 
with  the  left  hand  and  pushing  the  sides  of 
the  lips  between  the  teeth.  The  medicine 
should  then  be  quickly  poured  in  well  back 
on  the  tongue,  in  order  that  it  may  be  swal- 
lowed at  once.  Pigs  are  difficult  to  drench, 
r/'^;  ^";     but  by  cutting  a  hole    in  the  toe  of  an  old 

Hard  rub-  ''  ° 

ber  syringe  slioc,  aud  placlug  thls  lu  the  crcaturc's  mouth, 
for  him  to  chew  on,  the  medicine  can  be  poured 
into  the  shoe  and  so  it  will  be  swallowed. 
In  giving  drenches,  great  care  should  be  exercised 
not  to  strangle  the  animal,  or  to  get  medicine  into  its 
lungs.  Swallowing  is  impossible  if  the  head  is  tipped 
too  high  or  too  far  back.  Never  attempt  to  give  medi- 
cine while  an  animal  is  struggling  violently,  squealing, 
coughing,  or  emitting  other  vocal  sounds,  or  when  it  is 
only  partially  conscious,  as  the  medicine  is  very  likely 


for  giving 
medicine 


Giving    Medicine    to   a   Bull 


131 


Fig.  30.    Drenching  a  bull 

to  "go  the  wrong  way,"  and,  getting  into  the  lungs, 
to  strangle  the  animal  or  set  up  inflammation.  Irrita- 
ting medicines  and  oils  should  be  given  with  great 
caution.  When  there  is  doubt  as  to  an  animal's  ability 
to   swallow,    first    try   him   with   a   little   pure   water. 


132  The    Care   of  Animals 

Coughing  or  gagging  while  being  drenched  is  an 
indication  that  the  patient  is  getting  some  of  the  medi- 
cine into  his  lungs.  Proceedings  should  be  suspended 
until  the  animal  has  recovered. 

When  medicine  for  a  horse  is  in  the  form  of  a  ball 
or  pill,  it  is  held  in  the  tips  of  the  three  middle  fingers 
of  the  right  hand,  while  the  operator,  standing  in 
front  of  the  horse,  grasps  the  tongue  with  the  left 
hand  and  draws  it  well  forward,  turning  the  tip  upward 
toward  the  roof  of  the  mouth.  At  the  same  time  the 
ball  in  the  right  hand  is  inserted  and  pushed  far  back 
over  the  bulge  of  the  tongue,  and  both  hands  are  quickly 
withdrawn  from  the  mouth.  With  a  little  practice, 
balls  can  be  administered  readily.  In  giving  pills  to 
dogs,  the  pill  can  be  placed  in  a  spoon  containing 
milk,  water  or  other  liquid,  and  poured  into  the  back 
part  of  the  mouth,  so  that  it  can  be  taken  at  a  single 
swallow. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  drench  a  sheep  in  the 
standing  position  without  getting  some  of  the  fluid  into 
the  lungs.  The  sheep  should  be  set  up  on  its  rump 
and  held  between  the  knees,  the  mouth  opened  with 
the  thumb  and  fingers  of  the  left  hand,  while  the 
medicine  is  slowly  poured  into  the  mouth  from  the 
bottle  held  in  the  right  hand.  The  neck  of  the  bottle 
should  be  inserted  in  the  corner  of  the  mouth,  pref- 
erably on  the  right  side.  This  is  the  only  way  to 
prevent  choking.     Fig.  31. 

Hypodermic  Medication. —  Medicines  are  frequently 
administered  by  injecting  them  beneath  the  skin.  In 
this  method  there    is  less   liability  of  waste,   and   the 


134  The    Care   of  Animals 

action  of  the  drug  is  much  more  rapid  and  certain. 
Much  smaller  quantities  of  medicine  are  required  to  pro- 
duce given  effects  than  when  given  by  the  mouth. 
Medicines  to  be  given  hypoderraicall}^  should  be  suf- 
ficiently diluted,  so  that  they  will  not  injure  the  tissues 
nor  cause  severe  pain.  They  must  be  free  from  sedi- 
ment and  germs.  The  hollow  needle  of  the  syringe 
should  be  unscrewed  and  taken  in  the  right  hand  ;  the 
skin  in  the  region  of  the  neck  or  shoulder  is  firmly 
grasped  with  the  left,  and  with  the  right  the  needle  is 
quickly  pushed  through  it  in  a  slanting  direction. 
Considerable  force  is  required  to  push  the  needle 
through  the  skin  of  the  larger  and  older  animals,  but 
the  lack  of  resistance  determines  when  the  point  is 
through.  The  syringe  is  then  screwed  on  the  needle  and 
the  medicine  gradually  injected.  The  medicine  is  injected 
into  the'-l<[|ose  tissue  beneath  the  skin,  usually  in  the 
region  of  the  neck  or  shoulder,  to  avoid  injury  to  the 
operator  by  the  animal's  kicking  or  biting.  For  special 
purposes,  medicines  may  be  injected  into  almost  any 
part  of  the  body. 

In  giving  medicines  hypodermically  it  is  important 
that  the  instrument  be  perfectly  clean  and  that  the 
medicine  be  pure  and  well  diluted.  Under  some  con- 
ditions, medicine  may  be  injected  into  the  trachea,  or 
windpipe,  by  inserting  the  needle  between  the  rings  of 
cartilage  of  which  this  tube  is  composed.  It  should 
be  given  in  this  manner  only  upon  the  advice  of  well- 
qualified  persons.  In  inserting  the  needle,  care  should 
always  be  taken  not  to  inject  the  medicine  into  veins 
or  arteries,  nor  to  puncture  delicate  structures. 


Applying    Medicines  135 

External  Medication. — Medicines  are  frequentlj^  ap- 
plied by  rubbing  them  on  the  skin,  in  the  form  of 
lotions,  liniments,  ointments  or  salves.  Applications 
are  also  made  in  the  form  of  poultices  and  fomenta- 
tions. Lotions  are  medicines  in  solution,  that  are  use- 
ful for  their  healing,  cooling  or  soothing  effects  to 
the  part  to  which  they  are  applied.  Liniments  are 
solutions  usually  containing  some  irritating  substance, 
such  as  turpentine  or  ammonia.  They  are  often  mixed 
with  oil,  and  are  applied  to  a  part  by  rubbing  them  in. 
If  they  are  applied  too  frequently  and  with  considerable 
friction,  they  may  blister  the  part,  especially  if  the  part 
is  covered  by  a  bandage  to  prevent  evaporation.  Lini- 
ments should  never  be  applied  to  fresh  wounds  nor 
sores,  nor  to  parts  badly  inflamed,  as  they  are  very  likely 
to  increase  the  irritation  of  the  part  and  to  cause  con- 
siderable pain.  They  are  useful  in  chronic  cases  of  in- 
flammation when  a  mild  counter -irritation  is  desirable. 
Ointments  are  medicines  mixed  with  a  fatty  or  waxy 
substance,  and  are  usually  applied  externally  to  soften, 
soothe  and  heal  inflamed  parts.  If  they  contain  irrita- 
ting substances  they  are  usualh^  called  blisters.  Poultices 
are  soft,  moist  substances  applied  to  soften  and  soothe 
the  part  and  to  relax  the  tissues.  They  are  usually  applied 
as  hot  as  can  be  comfortably  borne  and  are  changed 
frequently.  It  is  not  a  good  plan  to  continue  the  use 
of  poultices  very  long,  as  the  tissues  become  soft,  flabby 
and  debilitated.  Poultices  are  very  useful  in  severe  in- 
flammation to  relieve  the  pain  and  soothe  the  part.  In 
old  chronic  sores  they  soften  the  tissue,  allay  the  irrita- 
tion and  hasten  recovery.     They  should  seldom  be  kept 


136  The    Care    of  Animals 

on  more  than  forty  -  eight  hours  continuously,  and 
should  be  changed  several  times  daring  this  period. 
Poultices  are  usually  made  of  flaxseed  meal,  bran,  bread 
and  milk,  spent  hops,  mashed  boiled  turnii)s,  or  other 
clean,  soft  substances  that  will  retain  heat  and  mois- 
ture. They  may  be  applied  by  binding  them  on  the 
part  directly,  or  by  putting  them  in  a  bag  of  thin  cloth. 
Pulverized  charcoal,  or  a  teaspoonful  of  carbolic  acid 
to  a  pint  of  poultice,  is  excellent  to  keep  the  substance 
clean  and  "sweet."    For  fomentations,  see  page  142. 

ENEMAS 

Enemas,  or  clysters,  are  injections  of  warm  water  into 
the  rectum.  They  may  be  medicated  or  not.  They  are 
given  for  the  purpose  of  emptying  the  bowels  and 
stimulating  their  movements.  In  some  cases  they  are 
also  given  to  remove  or  destroy  worms  that  may  be  in 
the   rectum.     Six    to    eight    quarts  of    warm    water    is 

usually  a  sufficient  quantity  for  an  adult 

flllJll^J^      horse.     If  the  water  is  slightl}^  soapy,  its 

\  ~y|F        action    is    increased;    a    half-teacupful    of 

\  M  pure  glycerine  added  to  the  water  is  excel- 

Yj  lent.     Enemas  are  best  given  by  means  of 

[J  a  hose  with  a  smooth  nozzle   attached  to 

[i  a  small  force-pump.     In  the  absence  of  a 

y\  force-pump,    a    tin    funnel    inserted    in    a 

N^L  small  piece  of  hose  about 

>^s^,^^^  three   feet    long    answers 

^^^^^^'    ji    -^u^    very  well;   one  end  of  the 

Fig.  32.     Apparatus  for  giving  injections       hoSC    is    iuSCrtcd     iuto    the 


Medicines    for   Animals  137 

rectum,  the  other  end  containing  the  funnel  is  held 
above,  and  the  fluid  poured  in,  the  force  of  gravity 
carrying  it  into  the  bowels.  Fig.  32.  Enemas  should 
be  given  slowly,  and  the  animal  allowed  to  retain 
them  for  a  short  time.  The  nozzle  of  the  hose  should 
be  oiled  or  soaped  before  it  is  inserted,  so  as  not  to 
injure  the  mucous   coat  of  the  rectum. 

DOSES    OF     MEDICINE 

The  amount  of  medicine  given  at  one  time  is  called  a 
"dose."  It  may  vary,  not  only  with  the  size,  age  and 
temperament  of  the  animal,  but  also  in  the  different  dis- 
eases and  according  to  the  Avay  in  which  the  medicine  is 
given.  In  general,  a  horse  will  take  eight  to  ten  times 
as  much  medicine  as  a  man,  and  cattle  take  one -third 
more  than  horses.  Animals  of  a  nervous  tempera- 
ment require  less  medicine  than  the  slow,  easy-going 
phlegmatic  ones.  The  size  of  the  animal,  also,  plays 
an  important  part  in  the  amount  given.  Young 
animals  require  less  medicine  than  older  ones  of  the 
same  size. 

Medicines  for  animals  should  be  of  good  quality.  In 
order  to  get  a  quick  result  from  them  they  should  be  as 
finely  divided  as  possible,  in  the  form  of  powders  or  in 
solution.  If  kept  any  length  of  time,  they  should  be 
protected  from  evaporation  by  corking  or  tight  boxes. 
Some  medicines  lose  their  strength,  w^hile  others  be- 
come stronger.  A  small  cupboard  that  can  be  locked 
is  an  excellent  place  in  which  to  keep  medicines.  All 
medicines  should  be  plainly  labeled. 


138  The    Care    of  Animals 

COUNTER-IRRITANTS 

The  term  counter- irritant  is  given  to  a  class  of 
medicines  that  are  applied  externally  for  the  purpose  of 
setting  up  a  local  and  artificial  inflammation  in  order  to 
cure  a  disease  or  injury.  It  is  a  very  old  treatment  and 
is  very  frequently  used  in  veterinary  practice.  Among 
the  counter-irritants  that  are  commonly  employed  are 
liniments,  hand-rubbing,  blisters,  seatons  or  "rowels," 
and  burning  with  a  hot  iron  or  "firing." 

Counter-irritants  are  used  especially  in  chronic  or 
long- continued  conditions.  They  should  never  be  ap- 
plied to  a  part  when  it  is  acutely  inflamed.  The  in- 
flammation should  first  be  reduced  by  fomentations 
of  hot  or  cold  water;  when  the  acute  inflammation 
has  subsided,  if  the  disease  still  continues,  counter-irri- 
tants should  be  used.  A  mild  form  of  counter- irrita- 
tion is  hand-rubbing,  or  hand-rubbing  in  combination 
with  liniments.  The  virtues  of  most  liniments  are 
increased  by  thorough  and  vigorous  rubbing.  As  soon 
as  the  part  begins  to  get  sore,  or  tender,  withhold  the 
liniment  and  rubbing  for  a  few  daj's  and  then  re -apply. 

Seatons. — A  seaton  is  a  foreign  body,  usually  a  piece 
of  string  or  tape,  inserted  beneath  the  skin  over  the 
diseased  part.  It  is  inserted  by  means  of  a  seaton 
needle,  and  the  two  ends  of  the  string  are  tied  together 
to  keep  it  from  coming  out.  The  skin  below  the  seaton 
should  be  well  greased  with  fresh  lard  or  vaseline,  to 
prevent  its  being  scalded  bj-  the  pus  which  is  dis- 
charged. The  seaton  should  be  shifted  about  every 
day  and  washed  clean.     Sometimes  medicinal  substances 


Sr<ifons   and   Blisters  139 

are  applied  with  a  seaton.  Seatons  are  used  when  a  mild, 
but  long -continued  counter-irritant  is  wanted. 

Blisters. —  The  two  substances  commonly  used  for 
blisters  are  pulverized  Spanish  flies  (Cantharides)  and 
the  biniodid  of  mercury.  The  former  makes  what  is 
commonly  known  as  a  "fly -blister."  The  latter,  from 
its  color,  is  commonly  called  a  "red-blister."  These 
blisters  are  made  by  thoroughly  mixing  one  part  b}' 
weight  of  the  drug  and  eight  parts  of  fresh  lard  or 
vaseline.  Both  of  these  blisters  are  poisonous,  and 
should  be  cared  for  accordingly.  If  it  is  desired  to 
remove  bunches,  especially  bony  bunches,  the  red-blister 
is  commonly  preferred  ;  for  ordinary  purposes,  the  fly- 
blister  is  used.  Neither  kind  should  be  applied  to  a 
raw  surface  or  over  a  very  large  area,  for  it  maj^  be 
absorbed  and  prove  injurious  to  the  animal. 

The  hair  should  first  be  clipped  from  the  area, 
after  which  the  blister  is  rubbed  in  with  the  fingers 
from  three  to  ten  minutes,  depending  on  how  severe 
an  irritation  is  desired.  In  most  cases,  a  light  blister 
repeated  is  more  effective  and  more  satisfactory  than 
a  single  severe  one.  Horses  with  thick  skin  re- 
quire the  blister  to  be  rubbed  in  longer  than  thin- 
skinned,  nervous  ones.  The  blister  should  be  left  on 
from  twenty -four  to  thirty -six  hours,  or  until  a  watery, 
gummy  fluid  exudes  from  the  skin  and  sticks  the  hair 
together.  Then  the  area  should  be  thoroughly  v/ashed 
with  warm  water  and  soap,  wdped  dry  and  greased 
with  fresh  lard  or  vaseline. 

If  the  blister  is  applied  to  the  hind  legs,  or  to  any 
place  which  the  horse  can  switch,  the  tail  should  be  se- 


110  The    Care   of  Animals 

curely  tied  in  a  knot.  Otherwise,  the  horse,  getting  the 
blister  on  the  tail  and  then  switching  other  parts,  may 
cause  a  blister  wherever  the  skin  is  thin.  The  horse's 
head  should  also  be  tied  so  that  he  is  unable  to  reach 
the  blistered  part  with  his  nose,  or  there  will  be  a 
larger  blister  on  his  nose  than  on  the  original  part.  It 
is  a  good  plan  to  tie  a  horse  so  short  that  he  cannot  lie 
down  while  the  blister  is  retained.  In  the  course  of  three 
or  four  weeks  the  part  may  be  treated  again,  if  necessary, 
but  the  second  blister  should  be  very  light,  as  the  part 
is  tender  and  the  drug  acts  quickly.  When  a  part  is 
blistered  too  severely  the  tissues  may  be  destroyed  and 
slough  out,  leaving  a  bad  sore  and  finally  a  scar;  or 
the  roots  of  the  hair  may  be  destro3'ed,  or  the  hair  in- 
jured so  as  to  cause  it  to  turn  white.  The  two  front 
or  the  tw^o  hind  legs  should  not  be  blistered  at  the 
same  time.  In  rare  eases  a  blister  irritates  a  horse  and 
causes  intense  suffering  soon  after  it  is  put  on.  It 
should  be  washed  off  at  once,  the  part  greased  and,  if 
necessary,  laudanum  given  internally.  To  an  adult 
horse,  ounce  doses  of  laudanum  can  be  given  every 
three  hours  until  he  is  quiet. 

Fly  -  blister  applied  over  a  large  area  sometimes 
causes  severe  irritation  of  the  kidneys,  with  painful 
passage  of  the  urine.  Should  such  symptons  appear, 
the  blister  must  be  washed  off  at  once,  the  part  greased, 
and  the  horse  given  gruels  and  other  mucilaginous 
drinks,  combined  with  laudanum  in  half-ounce  doses  to 
soothe  the  irritated  parts.  When  it  is  necessary  to 
apply  an  irritant  over  a  large  surface, — as  in  inflamma- 
tion of  the  lungs,  pleurisy,  and  some  bowel  troubles, — 


B  lis  t  ering   and   Fir  in  g 


141 


I 


I  I 


a  mustard  plaster  should  be  used.  Finely  ground 
mustard,  stirred  up  with  tepid  water  into  a  thin  paste, 
should  be  applied  over  the  desired  area  by  rubbing  it 
well  into  the  roots  of  the  hair  with  a  case-knife  or  thin 
wooden  stick.  When  it  is  desired  to  remove  the 
mustard  plaster,  it  should  be  very  carefully  scraped 
off  with  a  curry-comb. 

Firing. —  "Firing"  is  burning  the  skin  with  a  red-hot 
iron,  called  a  "firing- iron."  Fig.  33.  The  irons  can 
be  heated  at  a  forge  or  at  a  brisk  fire  in 
a  cooking  stove.  Excellent  instruments 
are  now  in  use  with  the  irons  kept  at 
white  heat  by  gasolene  vapor.  Firing  is 
used  particularly  upon  the  legs  when 
severe  counter -irritation  is  required,  es- 
pecially in  ring-bones,  spavins  and  in- 
jured tendons.  The  hair  is  clipped  from 
the  area.  The  horse  is  confined,  by  tak- 
ing up  the  opposite  foot  so  that  he  is  com- 
pelled to  stand  on  the  one  it  is  desired  to 
fire.  A  blindfold  is  placed  over  the  eyes, 
and  a  twist  is  applied  to  the  nose. 

There  are  two  general  methods  of  firing.  One 
consists  in  making  a  series  of  parallel  lines.  This  is 
known  as  "feather -firing"  or  "line-firing."  The  second 
form  consists  in  using  a  pointed  iron  and  burning 
a  number  of  points  in  the  skin  over  the  affected 
area,  sometimes  puncturing  the  skin.  This  method 
is  known  as  "puncture -firing."  Frequently  the  two 
methods  are  combined,  and  after  the  feather-firing 
a    few    punctures    are    made    over    the    most -diseased 


p 


Fig.  33. 
Firing  irons 


142  The    Care    of  Animals 

part.     It  is  thought  that  puncturing  sets  up  a  deeper 
inflammation. 

After  the  horse  is  confined,  the  operator  makes  a 
series  of  parallel  lines  or  punctures  about  three -fourths 
of  an  inch  apart  over  the  affected  area.  In  line -firing, 
the  lines  usually  run  obliquely  on  the  legs,  so  that  the 
marks  will  not  show  as  plainly  after  recovery  as  they 
would  if  running  vertically  or  horizontally.  At  first, 
the  operator  barely  touches  the  skin  with  the  firing- 
iron,  marking  out  his  work;  later  the  lines  are  burned 
to  a  good  russet  brown  by  drawing  the  hot  firing- 
iron  through  the  former  lines.  In  feather -firing,  the 
lines  should  not  cut  through  the  skin.  After  firing, 
a  flj^-blister  should  be  rubbed  on  the  fired  area,  and  the 
case  treated  as  an  ordinary  case  of  blistering.  After 
firing,  the  horse  should  be  given  plenty  of  time  for  rest 
and  recovery.  "Fire,  blister  and  turn  out  to  grass,"  is 
a  common  expression  among  horsemen. 

FOMENTATIONS 

Fomentations  are  applications  of  hot  or  cold  water 
to  a  part.  The  application  is  usually  from  twenty 
minutes  to  half  an  hour.  The  water  may  be  applied 
as  hot  as  can  be  comfortably  borne,  and  the  tempera- 
ture can  be  kept  up  by  adding  hot  water  frequently. 
The  water  can  be  applied  to  the  part  with  sponges, 
cloths,  or  even  with  the  hands,  while,  at  the  same  time, 
the  part  is  gently  rubbed.  Fomentations  should  be 
applied  two  or  three  times  daily.  They  are  much  used 
to    lessen    acute    inflammation,    pain    and   swelling   of 


Fig.  34.    Horse  standing  in  the  soaking -tub 


]44  The    Care   of  Animals 

recent  injuries,  or  for  anj^  badly  irritated  part.    They  are 
used  with  good  results  in  inflammation  of  the  udder. 

Cold  water  is  also  excellent  to  relieve  inflammation, 
especially  when  the  part  is  badly  congested.  It  can  be 
applied  with  cold,  wet  cloths,  or  by  irrigating  the  part — 
that  is,  allowing  cold  water  to  drip  upon  it.  In  some 
cases,  applying  cold  water  with  considerable  force,  as  a 
stream  from  a  hose  nozzle,  for  a  few  moments,  and  then 
rubbing  briskly,  has  an  excellent  effect  in  toning  up  de- 
bilitated parts  and  relieving  congestion.  Cold  is  often 
applied  to  a  feverish  part  by  using  a  bag  of  cracked  ice. 

THE     SOAKING     TUB 

A  soaking -tub  is  made  by  cutting  off  about  one  foot 
from  one  end  of  a  stout  barrel.  Fig.  34.  This  can  be 
placed  in  the  stall  and  filled  with  water,  either  hot  or 
cold.  The  horse  is  made  to  stand  in  this  with  his  front 
feet.  Soaking-tubs  are  excellent,  especially  in  cases 
when  the  hoofs  are  dry  and  hard  and  there  is  consider- 
able inflammation  of  the  feet.  Twice  daily  the  horse 
should  be  allowed  to  stand  in  the  tub  for  an  hour.  The 
feet  should  be  wiped  dry  and  afterward  oiled,  or  some 
good  hoof  dressing  applied.  Soaking-tubs  are  excellent  if 
they  are  used  judiciously,  but  excessive  use  is  injurious. 

CONFINING    OR     RESTRAINING    ANIMALS 

Animals  can  be  confined  in  various  ways  for  surgical 
operations  and  for  other  purposes.  Horses  are  put 
into  stocks,  or  on  operating   tables  built  for  the   pur- 


Restraining   an   Animal  145 

pose.  For  small  operations,  one  of  the  best  methods 
of  restraining  a  horse  is  by  means  of  a  "twist."  Fig. 
35.  This  is  made  by  tying  a  loop  of  small  rope,  such 
as  sash  cord,  through  a  hole  in  the  end  of  a  stick.  The 
loop  should  be  about  eight  inches  long  and  the  stick,  ac- 
cording to  convenience,  from  one  to  five  feet  long.  The 
long  stick  allows  the  person  holding  the  twist 
to  stand  far  enough  from  the  horse  to  avoid 
being  struck  by  the  fore  feet.  The  loop  of 
rope  should  be  slipped  over  the  upper  lip  and 
the  handle  twisted  until  the  horse's  attention 
is  attracted  from  the  operator  and  his  work. 
A  twist  should  not  be  used  more  frequently, 
nor  tighter,  than  is  necessary;  for  the  horse's 
lip  is  very  sensitive,  and  one  should  always 
avoid  giving  unnecessary  pain.  To  prevent  in- 
jury to  the  operator  or  his  assistants,  it  is  fre- 
quently a  good  plan  to  blindfold  the  horse, 
by  covering  the  eyes  wdth  folds  of  cloth.  This 
can  be  fastened  to  the  bridle  or  to  the  halter 
head  to  keep  it  in   place.  Twfst^for 

Another  method  of  confining  the  horse  is  confining 
by  taking  up  one  of  his  feet  and  compelling 
him  to  stand  on  three  legs.  If  an  assistant  holds  the 
foot  he  should  not  allow  the  horse  to  rest  too  much 
Aveight  upon  him,  for  it  gives  the  animal  a  chance  to 
kick.  The  best  method  for  a  fore  leg  is  to  place  a 
loop  below  the  fetlock,  bend  the  leg  at  the  knee  and 
strap  the  foot  to  the  horse's  arm.  To  take  up  a  hind 
leg,  one  end  of  a  long  rope  is  placed  below  the  fetlock, 
the  other   end  being  passed    forward  and   festened  to 


146 


The    Care   of  Animals 


the   collar   about    the   animal's   neck,   or   held   by   an 
assistant. 

For  an  important  surgical  operation,  horses  are 
usually  thrown,  by  the  use  of  either  side-lines  or  hob- 
bles. Fig.  36.  The  side-line  method  consists  in  attach- 
ing long  ropes  below  the  fetlocks  on  both   hind  legs, 


Fig.  36.    Throwing  a  horse  by  means  of  side-lines 

running  the  ropes  forward  to  a  collar  and,  by  exerting 
force  on  the  ropes,  drawing  the  animal's  hind  legs  for- 
ward and  upward  and  retaining  them  in  that  position. 
Special  throwing  harnesses  are  made  for  this  purpose. 
Lacking  these,  one  may  use  a  piece  of  three -fourths  inch 
rope  forty  feet  long,  doubled  at  the  center  and  tied  to 
make  a  loop  at  that  point  about  two  feet  long.  This 
loop  can  be  slipped  over  the  horse's  head,  in  the  form 


Throiving   a   Horse  147 

of  a  collar,  the  knot  coming  at  the  top  of  the  neck. 
The  ropes  are  then  brought  down  one  on  either  side  of 
the  horse,  each  passed  under  the  fetlock  joint  of  a  hind 
leg,  and  the  end  run  forward  through  the  collar.  As- 
sistants, by  taking  hold  of  these  ropes  while  the  horse 
is  backed,  can  draw  his  legs  well  forward  and  up  on 
his  sides.  When  the  horse  is  down  the  feet  can  be 
tied  in  this  position  with  the  rope. 

The  hobble  method  consists  in  putting  a  strap  or 
hobble  around  each  leg  just  below  the  fetlock  joint.  A 
rope  or  a  chain  is  then  passed  through  a  ring  in  each 
hobble  and  all  four  feet  are  drawn  together  in  a 
bunch,  causing  the  horse  to  lose  his  balance  and  fall. 
This  method  should  be  used  on  all  horses  over  nine  or 
ten  years  of  age,  as  by  the  use  of  side-lines  they  are 
likely  to  injure  their  backs  by  struggling.  The  back- 
bone of  a  horse  grows  stiff  with  age,  and  is  likely  to  be 
broken  by  bending  or  severe  exertion.  The  side-line 
method  is  excellent  for  throwing  young  horses,  es- 
pecially for  castrating,  as  the  hind  legs  are  drawn  well 
forward  and  out  of  the  way. 

A  third  method  of  throwing  the  horse,  consists  in 
taking  up  one  fore  leg,  usually  the  right,  or  "off"  one, 
by  a  strap,  which  is  passed  either  over  the  animal's 
back,  or  under  his  belly,  and  held  by  the  operator,  who 
stands  by  the  left  ("nigh")  fore  shoulder.  The  opera- 
tor holds  up  the  foot  with  the  right  hand,  at  the  same 
time  drawing  the  horse's  head  around  toward  the  left 
and  pushing  against  its  left  shoulder.  This  throws  the 
horse  on  his  right  side.  At  once  the  operator  should 
get  on  the  side  of  his  neck,  close  to  the  horse's  head. 


148  The    Care    of  Animals 

This  keeps  him  down,  for  horses  get  up  on  their  fore 
legs  first,  and  it  is  necessarj^  for  them  to  throw  their 
heads  upward  in  order  to  get  their  balance. 

In  throwing  horses,  a  spot  of  level  greensward 
should  be  selected,  or  the  floor  or  ground  be  well 
covered  with  straw,  to  avoid  injurj-  as  the  animal  goes 
down.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  place  a  folded  blanket 
under  the  horse's  head,  to  prevent  injury  to  him  while 
down.  In  working  about  horses,  an  operator  is  liable 
to  be  hurt,  either  h\  the  animal's  kicking,  biting,  or 
striking  with  the  fore  foot.  The  safest  place  by  a 
horse  w^hen  he  is  standing  is  close  to  the  left  shoulder, 
as  the  horse  is  unable  to  kick  or  strike  a  person  there, 
and  the  head  can  be  kept  away  by  holding  with  the 
right  hand.  A  person  should  stay  close  to  a  horse, 
or  else  keep  quite  out  of  his  reach.  A  medium  dis- 
tance is   dangerous  ground. 

In  throwing  good -sized  cattle,  the  animal  is  con- 
fined by  the  head,  one  end  of  a  small  one -fourth 
inch  thirty-foot  rope  is  tied  to  the  horns,  a  half-hitch 
taken  about  the  animal's  body  just  back  of  the  fore 
legs  and  another  just  iti  front  of  the  hind  legs;  then,  by 
having  the  half- hitches  tight  and  pulling  on  the  end 
of  the  rope  sharply,  the  animal  will  go  down.  Fig.  37. 
It  can  be  kept  down  by  drawing  the  tail  through  be- 
tween the  hind  legs  and  by  holding  it  forward  and  up- 
ward. This  keeps  the  animal  from  getting  up,  for 
cattle  always  get  up  on  their  hind  legs  first. 

Hogs  can  be  restrained  by  slipping  a  noose  of  small 
rope  on  the  upper  jaw  just  back  of  the  "tusks." 
This  will  confine  the   head,   when  the  animal   can  be 


Throwing   a    Bull 


149 


thrown  and  the  legs  tied  as  the  case  demands.  Dogs 
should  alwa^'s  have  their  months  tied  tightly  shut  by 
using  a  strip  of  stout  cloth,  two  inches  wide,  and  tying 
it  about  the  muzzle;  the  ends  can  then  be  brought 
around  and  tied  behind  the  animal's  head  to  keep  him 
from  scratching   the  muzzle  off. 


Fig.  "37.    The  half-hitch  method  of  throwing  a  bull 


ANESTHETICS 

For  all  surgical  operations  when  an  animal  will  be 
subjected  to  great  pain,  anesthetics  should  be  used 
wherever  practicable.  Horses  take  chloroform  well,  but 
dogs  do  not  and  are  very  likely  to  die  from  its  effects 
unless  great  care  is  used  when  it  is  administered.     For 


150  The    Care    of  Animals 

dogs,  ether  should  always  be  used.  In  giving  anes- 
thetics to  animals,  a  person  familiar  with  their  use 
should  be  employed.  For  small  surgical  operations,  a 
five  i)er  cent  solution  of  cocaine,  injected  by  a  syringe, 
destroys  all  sensation  in  the  part  during  the  operation. 

DISINFECTION 

Disinfecting  consists  in  destroying  the  germs  or 
virus  of  a  disease.  Whenever  an  animal  has  been 
suffering  from  a  contagious  disease,  it  is  necessary 
to  disinfect  the  quarters  and  all  utensils,  instru- 
ments, harness  and  equipment  that  may  have  become 
infected.  Stables  are  disinfected  by  first  removing 
and  burning  all  litter,  rubbish  and  other  loose  ma- 
terial of  little  value.  Next,  the  walls,  floors,  ceilings, 
mangers,  pails,  etc.,  should  be  thoroughly  scrubbed 
with  a  five  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid, — that  is, 
one  part  of  pure  carbolic  acid  to  twenty  parts  of  water. 
When  this  has  dried,  the  walls  and  mangers  can  be 
painted  or  whitewashed.  Harness  and  halters  can  be 
boiled  vigorously  for  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  Cor- 
rosive sublimate,  or  bichlorid  of  mercury,  one  part  to 
one  thousand  parts  of  water,  can  be  employed  in  the 
place  of  the  carbolic  acid  solution,  but  should  not  be 
used  on  metal  as  it  is  very  corroding.  One  part  of 
creolin  or  similar  coal-tar  product  to  fifty  parts  of 
water  is  also  a  good  disinfectant  and  is  not  poisonous. 
Care  should  be  taken  that  carbolic  acid  and  corrosive 
sublimate  do  not  get  on  any  food  which  the  animals 
may  eat.     Bright  sunlight  is  an  excellent  disinfectant, 


Disinfection   ancd  Antiseptics  151 

and  should  be  admitted  into  all  suspicious  places. 
All  infected  materials,  and  especially  bodies  of  animals 
that  have  died  from  disease,  should  either  be  burned  or 
buried  deep  to  prevent  further  infection.  Dogs,  crows 
and  other  animals  frequently  dig  up  and  carry  off 
parts  of  carcasses.  Infectious  material  is  often  carried 
by  streams  of  water,  by  infected  stock-cars,  or  by  litter 
which  may  have  been  in  stock-cars. 

ANTISEPTICS 

Antiseptics,  commonly  called  healing  remedies,  are 
substances  applied  to  wounds  or  sores  to  assist  in  the 
healing  process.  They  are  used  in  solutions,  or  mixed 
with  some  fatty  substance,  as  an  ointment,  or  they  may 
be  dusted  on  in  the  form  of  a  powder.  Antiseptics 
possess  no  true  healing  properties;  the  healing  process 
can  be  accomplished  only  by  the  living  cells  of  the 
tissues.  They  only  destroy  or  prevent  the  growth  of 
germs.  Bacteria,  which  gain  entrance  to  sores  and 
wounds,  by  growing  and  multiplying  irritate  the 
wound,  injure  and  destroy  the  living  cells  of  the  animal 
tissue,  and  often  form  poisons  that  may  be  taken  up 
by  the  blood  and  cause  serious  injury  or  death  from 
blood-poisoning.  If  it  were  not  for  bacteria,  no 
wound  would  be  fatal,  unless  some  vital  organ  were 
mechanically  crippled;  all  wounds  would  heal  with- 
out complications.  In  ordinary  veterinary  practice, 
wounds,  abscesses  and  sores  afford  ideal  conditions 
for  the  growth  of  bacteria,  and  unless  carefully 
treated  are  swarming  with  them.     It  is  to  destroy  these 


152  The    Care    of  Animals 

germs  that  hinder  the  healing  process  that  antiseptics 
are  used. 

Practically  all  antiseptics  are  poisonous  if  used  in 
concentrated  form,  and  if  applied  pure  would  burn  and 
destroy  the  tissues;  hence,  in  practice,  it  is  necessary  to 
use  them  in  such  a  strength  that  they  will  destroy  the 
bacteria  without  injuring  the  living  cells  of  the  body. 
Antiseptics  are  usually  applied  in  solution  to  wounds, — 
as  medicine  in  this  form  more  certainly  penetrates  to  all 
parts  of  the  wound;  and  in  deep  wounds  it  is  often  the 
only  way  antiseptics  can  be  applied,  and  then  only  by 
means  of  a  syringe.  When  antiseptics  are  used  in  solu- 
tions their  strength  is  easily  estimated,  and  the  medicine 
readily  and  uniformly  distributed.  Sometimes  antisep- 
tics possess  other  properties  than  as  germicides. 

In  addition  to  the  methods  of  application  above  de- 
scribed, antiseptics  are  applied  by  saturating  cotton, 
gauze  or  similar  material,  and  placing  it  either  in  or 
on  the  wound.  In  general,  it  is  more  satisfactory  to 
use  weak  antiseptics  freely  and  frequently  without  dis- 
turbing the  wound.  If  they  do  not  prove  satisfactory, 
the  strength  of  the  antiseptic  may  be  increased. 

Corrosive  sublimate,  or  bichlorid  of  mercury,  comes 
in  the  form  of  tablets,  with  directions  for  the  amount 
of  water  in  which  they  are  to  be  dissolved.  The  great- 
est objection  to  it  is  its  corrosive  action  on  metals.  It 
should  be  kept  in  glass  or  earthen  vessels.  As  corrosive 
sublimate  is  a  powerful  poison,  it  should  always  be 
plainly  labeled  and  kept  in  a  place  secure  from  children 
and  others  not  familiar  with  its  properties  and  uses. 
It    is  ordinarily  used  in    the   strength  of   one   part  of 


Antiseptics  153 

bichlorid  of  mercury,  by  weight,  to  one  thousand  parts 
of  water  for  external  application. 

Carbolic  acid  probably  ranks  next  to  bichlorid  of 
mercury  in  frequency  of  use  as  an  antiseptic.  It  is 
dissolved  in  water  and  used  in  the  strength  of  two 
and  one -half  to  five  per  cent;  one  part  of  acid  to  forty 
parts  of  water  is  the  strength  ordinarily  used  for  the 
treatment  of  wounds  on  animals.  For  a  strong  anti- 
septic or  disinfectant,  one  part  of  acid  is  added  to 
twenty  parts  of  water,  making  a  five  per  cent  solution. 
Pure  carbolic  acid  is  a  caustic  and  will  destroy  tissues 
by  burning.     Carbolic  acid  is  poisonous. 

Copper  sulfate,  commonly  called  bluestone  or  blue 
vitriol,  is  an  excellent  antiseptic  and  possesses  as- 
tringent properties  as  well, — that  is,  it  tends  to  pucker 
the  tissues.  It  can  be  used  in  solution,  in  the  strength 
of  from  two  to  four  drams  in  a  pint  of  water.  For 
certain  purposes  it  can  be  made  much  stronger.  Copper 
sulfate,  finely  pulverized  and  dusted  on  a  wound,  is  a 
mild  caustic;  a  crystal  of  it  rubbed  on  a  surface  acts 
as  a  caustic  and  is  useful  to  check  bleeding.  An 
ointment  that  is  useful  in  treating  old  sores  can  be 
made  by  mixing  one  part  of  finely  pulverized  copper 
sulfate  and  one  part  of  sulfur  with  four  parts  of  fresh 
lard  or  vaseline.  Sulfate  of  copper  is  the  basic  material 
used  in  the  making  of  Bordeaux  mixture,  so  much 
used  by  farmers  as  a  spraying  material. 

Zinc  sulfate,  commonly  called  white  vitriol,  is  an 
astringent  and  antiseptic,  and  is  used  in  the  strength  of 
one  part  of  zinc  sulfate  in  thirty  to  sixty  parts  of 
water,  or  two  to  four  drams  to  a  pint  of  water. 


154  The    Care   of  Animals 

Six  drams  of  sulfate  of  zinc  and  one  ounce  of 
acetate  of  lead,  dissolved  in  a  quart  of  water,  is  an  ex- 
cellent antiseptic  and  astringent,  and  is  extensively  used 
in  veterinary  practice  as  "white  lo'-lon."  It  should  be 
well  shaken  before  using.  It  is  poisonous  when  taken 
internally.  An  excellent  antiseptic  ointment  for  use 
on  sores  or  irritated  conditions  of  the  skin  is  made  by 
combining  one  part  of  zinc  oxid  with  about  five  parts 
of   fresh   lard  or  vaseline. 

These  antiseptics,  as  already  said,  possess  secondary 
properties,  some  are  astringent  and  pucker  the  tissues, 
often  stopping  hemorrhages  or  drying  up  discharges. 
Antiseptics  applied  in  the  form  of  ointments  are  often 
used  on  wounds  and  sores  when  the  part  is  hard,  dry 
and  irritated;  the  fat  in  contact  with  the  antiseptic 
seems  to  soften  and  soothe  the  part.  In  the  powdered 
form,  dusted  over  the  surface  of  a  wound  or  sore,  anti- 
septics are  valuable  in  drying  up  discharges  and  keep- 
ing the  sores  dry  and  free  from  odor. 

Antiseptics  are  sometimes  mixed  with  some  sticky 
substance,  such  as  pitch  or  tar,  and  may  be  valuable 
in  keeping  dirt  out  of  a  wound;  but  care  must  be 
taken  that  such  applications  do  not  prevent  the  free 
escape  of  pus. 

Of  the  powdered  antiseptics,  iodiform  is  extensively 
used  for  dusting  on  wounds  or  sores  ;  the  objections 
are  its  odor  and  expense.  Pulverized  boric  acid  is  an- 
other good  antiseptic  that  is  used  in  this  way.  It  is 
also  used  in  a  solution  of  twenty  grains  of  acid  to  one 
ounce  of  water,  and  makes  an  excellent  wash  for  the 
e3^e,  for  the  mouth  or  other  cavities,  as  it  is  practically 


Antiseptics  155 

nou- poisonous,  Finely  pulverized,  air-sJaked  lime  is 
extensively  used  for  dusting  on  sores,  harness  -  galls 
and  suppurating  surfaces,  and  gives  admirable  results. 
Common  salt  is  also  used  as  an  antiseptic  in  the 
strength  of  five  to  ten  per  cent  by  weight,  dissolved  in 
water.  Creolin  is  a  good  and  popular  antiseptic  and 
deodorizer;  it  is  mixed  with  water  combined  in  the 
strength  of  one   to   two  per  cent. 

Not  all  antiseptics  work  equally  well  on  all  wounds. 
Sometimes  a  certain  antiseptic  will  give  excellent  re- 
sults, and  on  an  apparently  similar  wound  does  not  do 
as  well.  In  such  cases  it  is  well  to  cease  and  to  try  some 
other.  It  is  better  to  become  familiar  with  one  or  two 
good  antiseptics  than  to  dabble  with  a  great  variety 
with  which  one  is  not  familiar. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

SURGICAL     CASES 

For  convenience  to  the  stockman  and  horseman, 
it  may  be  well  to  bring  together  in  one  chapter  the 
various  diseases  and  practices  that  demand  more  or 
less  of  surgical  treatment.  These  subjects  are  of  three 
rather  distinct  categories:  mere  wounds;  diseases  and 
malformations;  practices  (as  caponizing  and  dehorn- 
ing) that  are  dictated  by  the  desire  of  the  owner. 

INFLAMMATION 

It  is  first  necessary  to  discuss  the  general  subject 
of  inflammation,  since  an  understanding  of  it  is  essen- 
tial to  all  good  surgical  work. 

Inflammation  is  a  curative  process  employed  by 
nature  to  repair  injuries  or  to  overcome  disease.  It 
is  always  the  result  of  irritation  of  some  kind,  the 
bruising  of  the  cells,  or  the  presence  of  foreign  bodies, 
as  germs,  or  other  irritating  substances  in  the  living 
tissues.  The  process  of  inflammation  is  nature's  means 
of  fighting  the  irritant.  In  many  cases,  the  cause  of 
the  inflammation  is  easily  recognizable,  in  others  it  is 
obscure.  Inflammation  occurs  in  either  an  acute  or  a 
chronic  form.  In  the  former,  all  the  sj-mptoms  are 
well  marked;    in  the   latter,  the  symptoms   are  not  so 

(156) 


Inflammation  157 

prominent,  and  this  form  is  often  more  difficult  to 
deal  with. 

One  of  the  first  signs  of  inflammation  is  redness  of 
the  part.  This  is  particular!}'  noticeable  in  animals 
having  a  white  skin.  The  color  is  caused  hy  dilation  of 
the  blood-vessels,  w^iich  allows  an  increased  flow  of 
blood  to  the  part.  This  condition  is  commonly  known 
as  "congestion."  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  confound 
this  active  congestion  w4th  the  settling  of  blood  in 
dependent  parts  at  death  (hypostatic  congestion).  In 
making  examinations  after  death,  one  frequently  finds 
the  lung  on  the  lower  side  of  the  body  gorged  with 
blood,  a  result  of  gravity.  (See  page  120).  Congestion 
may  occur  without  inflammation;  but  congestion  always 
attends  acute  inflammation  as  one  of  its  symptoms. 

Another  symptom  of  inflammation  is  increased 
heat.  This  can  usually  be  discovered  by  applying 
the  hand  to  the  part.  In  case  the  inflammation  is 
severe  or  extensive,  or  affects  an  important  organ 
of  the  body,  the  increased  temperature  may  involve 
the  whole  bod}',  causing  what  is  generalh-  known 
as  a  "fever."  Other  symptoms  of  inflammation  are 
swelling  and  pain.  The  pain  is  nsually  indicated  by 
the  uneasiness  of  the  animal,  or  by  its  "resting"  or 
taking  all  weight  and  strain  from  the  part.  Manipu- 
lation may  increase  the  pain  to  such  an  extent  that 
its  seat  is  easily  and  definitely  located. 

The  thing  to  be  done  in  treating  inflammation  is  to 
remove  the  cause  or  irritant,  as  soon  as  this  can  be 
determined.  In  many  cases  this  is  all  that  is  necessary. 
If  the  inflammation  is  severe  and  causes  much  pain, 


158  The    Care   of  Animals 

applications  of  hot  water  often  give  considerable  relief 
by  softening  and  soothing  the  tissues.  Such  applica- 
tions should  be  continued  for  a  half  hour  and  applied 
three  or  four  times  daily.  Poultices  applied  to  the 
part  are  also  advisable,  but  the}^  should  not  be  continued 
until  the  part  becomes  soft  and  debilitated.  Cold 
water  is  also  excellent  to  relieve  irritation,  especially 
when  there  is  much  heat  in  the  part.  The  cold  applica- 
tions should  be  continued  for  a  considerable  time. 

Inflammation  may  terminate  in  several  ways.  It 
may  gradually  subside  and  the  part  return  to  its  normal 
condition;  two  parts  may  adhere  or  grow  together; 
pus  or  "matter"  may  form,  this  condition  being  known 
as  suppuration.  Another  termination  is  "mortification," 
the  affected  tissues  dying  and  sloughing  away,  pro- 
viding the  animal  lives. 

In  some  diseases,  it  is  frequently  necessary,  in  order 
to  effect  a  cure,  that  inflammation  be  set  up  artificially. 
This  is  usually  accomplished  by  applying  some  irritant 
to  the  surface  over  the  diseased  part.  Such  treatment 
has  been  described  in  an  earlier  chapter  (Chapter  VII), 
and  includes  burning  the  part  with  a  hot  iron,  or 
"firing,"  rubbing  on  some  irritating  substance  in  the 
form  of  a  blister  or  liniment,  or  placing  a  foreign  body 
in  the  tissues  in  the  form  of  a  seaton. 

WOUNDS 

Wounds  are  recent  breaks  in  living  tissue  and  are 
usually  caused  by  violence,  such  as  kicks,  blows,  or 
external   contact  with   foreign   bodies.     In    rare   cases 


Wounds  159 

they  may  be  caused  by  violent  internal  muscular  ex- 
ertion. They  are  classified  according  to  their  nature. 
Clean-cut,  or  incised  wounds,  are  such  as  would  be 
made  with  a  knife.  Other  things  being  equal,  incised 
wounds  are  the  easiest  to  treat.  Lacerated,  or  torn, 
wounds  are  usually  made  by  barbed  wire.  Contused 
wounds  are  those  in  which  the  parts  are  bruised, 
as  well  as  cut.  These  wounds  are  serious,  for  if  the 
tissues  are  badly  bruised  there  may  be  considerable 
sloughing  of  the  injured  parts,  leaving  a  large  sore. 
Punctured  wounds  are  made  by  more  or  less  pointed 
bodies  penetrating  the  flesh.  Considering  their  size, 
punctured  wounds  are  the  most  serious.  They  are 
likely  to  be  deep,  and  to  injure  vital  parts,  or  the 
foreign  body  that  caused  the  wound  is  liable  to  break 
off  and  a  part  of  it  to  be  left  in  the  tissues.  It  is 
difficult  to  reach  the  deeper  parts  of  punctured  wounds 
to  clear  them  of  foreign  substances  and  to  treat  them 
satisfactorily.  Gunshot  and  poisoned  wounds  are  some- 
times classified  with  punctured  wounds,  but  thej^  are  so 
rare  that  they  do  not  need  special  consideration  here. 

Treatment  of  Wounds 

The  first  step  in  the  treatment  of  wounds  is  to  stop 
hemorrhage,  or  excessive  flow  of  blood.  While  a  hemor- 
rhage is  seldom  dangerous  unless  a  large  artery  or  vein 
is  cut,  yet  it  is  best  to  stop  it  at  once.  Bleeding  from 
an  artery  is  more  serious  than  from  a  vein.  Arteries 
carry  blood  from  the  heart  to  the  different  parts  of  the 
body,  while  veins  gather  the  blood  and  carry  it  back  to 


160  The    Care    of  Animals 

the  heart  again.  Arteries  have  thick  elastic  walls,  that 
throb  with  the  beating  of  the  heart,  and  the  blood  is 
always  under  considerable  pressure.  If  an  artery  is  cut 
the  blood  is  bright  scarlet  in  color  and  flows  with  force, 
coming  in  a  full  spinning  stream.  If  a  vein  is  cut 
the  blood  is  dark  in  color  and  simply  wells  out  of  the 
wound  with  no  force.  In  stopping  a  severe  hemor- 
rhage, it  is  necessary  to  know  whether  an  artery  or 
a  vein  is  severed.  If  an  artery,  the  end  of  the  blood- 
vessel toward  the  heart  must  be  treated,  as  the  blood 
comes  from  the  heart.  If  a  vein  is  cut,  the  end  of 
the  blood-vessel  away  from  the  heart  must  be  treated, 
as  the  blood  is  flowing  from  the  extremity  toward  the 
heart.  If  the  hemorrhage  is  from  a  large  blood-vessel, 
the  best  way  to  stop  it  is  to  find  the  cut  end  of  the 
vessel  and  ligate,  or  tie  it.  This  can  be  done  by  get- 
ting hold  of  the  cut  end  with  the  fingers,  pulling  the 
blood-vessel  out  a  little  and  tying  it  tightly  with  silk 
or  linen  thread  or  any  other  that  can  be  obtained, 
provided  it  is  clean.  The  thread  should  be  tied  with 
a  "surgeon's  knot,"  as  this  does  not  slip.  Fig.  38. 
Another  practicable  method  of  stop- 
ping hemorrhage  from  large  blood- 
vessels is  to  sear  with  a  hot  iron; 
but  this  is  severe  treatment,  and 
should    be  used   only  when   abso- 

Fig.  38.     Surgeon's  knot.  ,     ,    ,  th  c    ^^ 

lutely  necessary.  It  carefully  ap- 
plied to  the  blood-vessel  itself,  however,  there  is  com- 
paratively little  pain  and  the  treatment  is  effective. 

For  ordinary,   and   even  for  severe   wounds,  nature 
has   an  admirable  way  of  stopping  hemorrhage.     The 


stopping    Hemorrhage  161 

blood-vessels  contract  and  the  blood  collecting  in  the 
wound  coagulates,  forming  a  clot,  which  effectually 
checks  the  flow.  In  ordinarj^  wounds  the  treatment 
is  to  hasten  the  formation  of  a  clot.  This  can  be 
done  by  bringing  the  edges  of  the  wound  together  and 
binding  them  there.  Any  finely  divided  substance 
applied  to  the  wound  serves  to  gather  and  hold  the 
blood,  and  so  hastens  clotting.  Absorbent  cotton  is 
excellent.  Cobwebs  should  not  be  used-  on  account  of 
the  large  amount  of  dirt  and  germs  which  they  con- 
tain. Finely  powdered  substances  also  stop  hemor- 
rhage, but  they  should  be  clean  and  not  irritating  to 
the  wound.  Ordinary  flour  is  good.  So  is  a  mild 
astringent  solution,  as  of  alum  or  tincture  of  chlorid 
of  iron,  just  enough  of  the  drug  being  used  to  make 
the  solution  "puckery"  to  the  tongue.  Cold  water 
applied  to  a  wound  will  also  check  bleeding.  The 
astringent  solutions  are  especially  useful  when  there 
is  oozing  of  blood  from  a  large  surface.  After  the 
hemorrhage  is  checked,  the  wound  should  be  carefully 
cleansed  and  all  foreign  bodies  removed,  such  as  sticks, 
nails,  etc.;  the  wound  will  not  heal  with  these  present. 
Extra  care  in  this  particular  should  be  exercised  in 
punctured   wounds. 

Barb -wire  cuts  occur  most  frequently  about  the  legs 
or  just  above  the  feet  in  places  where  it  is  often  im- 
possible to  stitch  up  the  wound.  In  many  instances  it  is 
difficult  to  tie  the  cut  blood-vessels;  in  such  cases,  the 
best  treatment  is  to  take  clean  soft  rags,  or,  better, 
absorbent  cotton,  and  bind  on  firmly  over  the  cut  ;  if 
plenty  of  material  is  used  a  clot   will   soon   form   and 


162  The    Care    of  Animals 

the  bleeding  will  be  checked.  In  the  course  of  five  or 
six  hours  the  bandage  may  be  carefully  removed,  the 
parts  cleansed,  antiseptics  applied  and  the  torn  tissues 
brought  as  nearly  together  as  possible  by  the  use  of 
bandages,  or  sutures.  The  after-treatment  is  the  same 
as  for  an  ordinary  wound. 

The  hair  about  the  edge  of  a  wound  should  be  care- 
fully clipped,  so  that  it  will  not  get  into  the  wound 
and  irritate  it.  After  cleansing,  apply  to  the  wound 
some  good  antiseptic  or  healing  lotion  or  powder. 
Among  those  commonly  used  are  corrosive  sublimate, 
one  part  dissolved  in  one  thousand  parts  of  water, 
carbolic  acid,  one  part  to  thirty  parts  of  water.  White 
lotion  is  excellent.  Among  powdered  antiseptics, 
acetanilid  finely  pulverized,  or  iodoform  dusted  on  the 
surface,  are  excellent. 

The  next  operation  is  to  bring  the  lips  of  the  wound 
together  and  to  keep  them  there.  If  the  wound  is  large 
the  only  practicable  way,  in  treating  animals,  is  to  stitch 

the  edges  together.  For 

Fig.  39.     Surgeon's  needle.         y^       ,  i   •  i 

^-^     this  purpose  a  surgeon's 


needle  having  cutting 
edges  is  necessary.  Fig. 
89.  A  poor  substitute  for  it  can  be  made  by  grinding  a 
small  darning-needle  to  a  triangular  form.  It  is  prac- 
tically impossible  to  push  the  ordinary  type  of  sewing 
needle  through  the  thick  skin  of  the  larger  animals.  A 
good-sized,  half-curved  surgeon's  needle,  which  costs 
but  a  few  cents,  should  be  kept  on  every  stock  farm 
where  a  veterinarian  is  not  at  hand.  For  sewing,  silk  is 
best.  The  coarser  embroidery  silks  are  good,  but  braided 


Sewing    Up    Wo^inds  163 

silk  is  better.  For  some  purposes  catgut  is  preferable 
to  silk.  Heavy  linen  thread,  doubled,  is  excellent.  In 
the  absence  of  all  these,  ordinary  cotton  wrapping 
twine  can  be  used,  but  when  there  is  much  strain  on 
the  stitches  this  is  likely  to  part. 

Fresh  wounds  are  not  sensitive,  and  can  be  manip- 
ulated without  giving  pain.  In  sewing  up  a  wound, 
the  sticking  of  the  needle  through  the  skin  often  causes 
some  pain,  and  proper  precautions  should  be  taken  to 
confine  the  animal,  so  that  it  cannot  injure  the  operator 
by  kicking  or  striking,  or,  in  dogs,  by  biting.  Putting 
a  twist  on  a  horse  and  tying  a  dog's  mouth  tightly  are 
usuailj'  sufficient  precautions. 

In  sewing  up  a  wound  care  must  be  taken  to  have 
the  parts  brought  together  as  nearly  true  as  possible, 
so  that  the  edges  will  not  pucker.  There  should  be  a 
small  opening  left  at  the  bottom  for  drainage,  through 
which  the  pus,  or  matter,  can  escape.  The  best  method 
for  ordinary  use  is  to  pass  the  needle  through  both 
edges  of  the  w^ound,  drawing  the  thread  just  tight 
enough  to  bring  the  wound  nicely  together,  and  then 
tying  with  a  hard  knot.  If  the  stitches  are  too  tight  the 
swelling  that  usually  follows  will  cause  them  to  tear. 
In  large,  deep  wounds,  the  needle  should  be  started  well 
back  from  the  wound  and  passed  deeply  through  the 
tissues  to  hold  them  firmly  together.  In  cases  where 
there  is  danger  of  stitches  tearing  out  from  strain  on 
the  parts,  it  can  be  helped  by  tying  each  end  of  the 
thread  to  a  round,  smooth  stick,  the  size  of  a  pencil  or 
smaller.  This  method  takes  the  strain  off  the  tissue. 
Care  must  be  taken,  in  deep  wounds,  to  prevent  sewing 


164  The    Care    of  Animals 

up  the  skin  only,  leaving  a  cavity  to  gather  pus.  After 
the  wound  is  sewed,  it  should  be  thoroughly  treated 
with  antiseptics,  either  in  solution  or  as  a  dry  powder, 
and  carefully  protected  from  injury.  Animals  must 
be  restrained  from  rubbing  or  biting  an  injured  part. 
Antiseptics  or  healing  substances  merely  destroy  or  stop 
the  growth  of  bacteria  or  germs  that  interfere  with  the 
healing  process  of  nature.  If  it  were  not  for  bacteria, 
all  wounds  would  heal  at  once  if  the  parts  were  brought 
together.  Irritating  or  caustic  substances  should  never 
be  applied  to  fresh  wounds.  Nearly  all  antiseptics  are 
poisonous,  and  should  be  diluted  so  that  they  will  not 
injure  the  living  tissues  while  still  destroying  the  germs. 
Do  not  disturb  a  wound  more  than  is  necessary  to  keep 
it  clean.  Cleanliness  is  the  secret  of  success  in  treating 
wounds. 

Wounds  heal  in  several  ways.  One  is  by  "first  inten- 
tion." In  this  case,  the  parts  brought  and  held  together 
grow  fast  without  the  formation  of  pus  or  matter. 
This  is  the  best  method  and  is  always  to  be  desired; 
but  it  is  difficult  to  obtain  in  animals  on  account  of 
the  number  of  pus -producing  bacteria  present  under 
ordinary  conditions. 

The  second  method  is  by  "granulation."  In  this,  new 
tissue  forms  on  each  side  of  the  wound  and  gradually 
fills  in  and  unites  the  severed  parts.  When  a  wound 
granulates,  there  is  a  discharge  of  pus  or  matter,  and 
care  must  be  taken  that  this  does  not  become  excessive. 
Antiseptics  should  be  used  freely.  In  some  cases  the 
granulations  become  too  luxuriant  and  form  a  slightly 
fungus -like    growth,   known    as    "  proud    flesh."     This 


Healing    of    Wonndfi  165 

must  be  destroyed  by  burning  with  a  stick  of  lunar 
caustic. 

In  another  method  of  healing,  the  blood  and  juices 
collected  in  the  wound  form  a  protective  coat,  or  scab, 
and  healing  takes  place  under  this.  The  scab  should 
never  be  removed  unless  pus  or  matter  collects  under  it. 

In  cases  in  which  wounds  heal  by  granulation  or  under 
a  scab,  new  tissue  fills  in  the  gap  of  the  wound  and 
makes  the  scar,  which  is  likely  to  remain  as  a  perma- 
nent blemish.  In  wounds  which  have  been  sewed  up 
and  have  done  well,  the  stitches  can  be  cut  and  removed 
in  about  four  or  five  days,  providing  there  is  no  strain 
on  the  tissues  to  pull  them  apart.  In  cases  when  the 
stitches  become  loosened  they  should  be  cut  and  re- 
placed by  others  that  hold  firmly,  unless  the  wound  has 
united,  when  they  can  be  clipped  and  removed. 

It  is  frequently  necessary  to  make  wounds.  They 
should  be  made  quickl}^  to  avoid  giving  the  animal 
pain,  and  so  far  as  possible  the  cut  should  be  made 
parallel  with  the  muscular  fibers  of  the  region.  When 
muscular  fibers  are  cut  across,  the  wound  tends  to 
spread  apart.  Before  such  work  is  attempted,  the  ani- 
mal should  be  securely  confined,  so  that  it  cannot  hurt 
itself  or  the  operator  by  biting,  striking,  kicking  or 
struggling. 

DISEASES   AND   ABNORMAL   GROWTHS 

Under  this  general  head  there  are  grouped,  for  con- 
venience' sake,  diseases  and  difficulties  that  are  due  to 
many   unlike    causes.      In    all    of    them,   however,    the 


166  The    Cm^e    of  Animals 

curative   treatment  requires   more   or  less   cutting    and 
removing:  of  tissue. 

Ahscesses 

These  are  commonly  called  "gatherings."  They  are 
accumulations  of  pus  or  "matter"  in  cavities  within  the 
tissues  of  the  body.  There  are  two  varieties  of  abscesses, 
commonly  known  as  "acute"  and  "cold."  Acute  ab- 
scesses form  rapidly  and  are  accompanied  by  marked 
inflammation,  with  heat,  pain,  redness  and  swelling. 
Cold  abscesses  are  of  a  chronic  nature  ;  they  form 
gradually,  without  marked  symptoms  of  inflammation, 
until  they  are  of  considerable  size.  Abscesses  are  caused 
by  some  injury,  or  by  the  presence  of  bacteria,  foreign 
bodies,  or  irritants  wdthin  the  tissues. 

As  soon  as  the  symptoms  appear,  one  of  two  methods 
should  be  adopted.  (1)  In  some  cases  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  try  to  "scatter"  the  abscess  hy  rubbing  and  by  ap- 
plying remedies  to  absorb  the  fluid  or  pus.  Rubbing 
with  a  stimulating  liniment,  or  applying  light  blisters, 
is  useful.  Iodine,  either  as  tincture  or  ointment,  may 
be  applied  daily  until  the  skin  begins  to  get  sore,  and 
then  be  stopped  for  a  few  days.  This  treatment  is 
useful  in  the  removal  of  bunches  and  enlargements 
generally,  but  it  should  not  be  applied  when  there  is 
acute  inflammation  in  the  part.  (2)  The  other  method, 
and  usually  the  better  one,  is  to  hasten  its  formation, 
as  an  abscess  is  usually  an  effort  of  nature  to  rid  the 
body  of  some  injurious  substance.  Bathing  the  affected 
part  with  hot  water  and  applying  poultices  to  soften 
and  soothe  the  tissues  will  assist  materially  in  "drawing" 


Abscesses  167 

the  abscess  to  a  "head."  As  soon  as  pus  is  detected  in 
the  tissues  (this  is  indicated  by  a  soft  "plunky"  feeling 
when  the  part  is  manipulated)  the  abscess  should  be 
opened.  For  this  use  a  sharp -pointed  knife,  taking 
the  blade  firmly  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger 
about  the  distance  from  the  point  that  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  insert  the  knife  to  reach  the  pus  cavity.  Insert 
the  knife  quickly  at  the  lowest  or  most  dependent  part, 
in  order  to  give  free  drainage  to  the  pus.  In  making 
the  incision,  do  not  stand  directly  in  front,  as  the  pus 
often  spurts  some  distance.  The  opening  should  be 
made  large  enough  to  allow  the  pus  to  escape  freely,  and 
the  wound  to  be  washed  out  and  treated.  Abscesses  should 
always  be  thoroughly  examined  for  foreign  bodies,  such 
as  sticks,  pieces  of  bone,  etc.,  which,  if  found,  should 
be  removed.  After  emptying  the  cavity,  wash  it  out 
thoroughly  with  warm  water  and  use  antiseptics  freely. 
The  incision  should  not  be  allowed  to  heal  until  the 
cavity  has  filled  up  from  the  bottom,  or  another  abscess 
is  likely  to  follow.  The  incision  can  be  kept  open  by 
plugging  with  absorbent  cotton  or  tow.  The  hair  below 
a  wound  or  an  abscess  should  be  kept  well  greased,  in 
order  to  prevent  the  discharges  from  irritating  or 
scalding    the    skin. 

If  an  abscess  is  not  opened,  it  will  usually  "break" 
and  discharge  of  its  own  accord  at  last;  but  as  the  pus 
burrows  into  the  tissues  seeking  an  outlet,  the  early 
opening  of  the  "  pocket "  greatly  hastens  ultimate 
recovery.  In  opening  abscesses  care  must  be  taken 
not  to  cut  by  mistake  into  a  hernia,  or  rupture,  or  into 
a   joint    or   cavity  containing  synovial  fluid   or  "joint 


168  Tlie    Care    of  Animals 

oil."  If  the  abscess  is  in  the  vicinity  of  large  blood- 
vessels or  important  organs,  suitable  precautions  should 
be  taken  to  prevent  injury  to  them. 

Fistiilm 

A  fistula  is  a  running  sore  that  sometimes  results 
from  a  wound  or  abscess,  and  does  not  heal  readily,  but 
persists  in  discharging  pus,  often  for  long  periods. 
Sometimes  a  foreign  body  in  the  tissues  is  the  cause 
of  the  fistula,  or  a  piece  of  denuded  bone  or  diseased 
cartilage.  In  other  cases  the  fistula  is  a  tube  or 
series  of  tubes,  or  a  cavity  lined  with  a  smooth 
"false  membrane"  which  must  be  destroyed  before 
the  part  will  heal. 

Poll -evil 

This  disease,  which  partakes  of  the  nature  of  a  cold 
abscess  as  well  as  a  fistula,  occurs  in  horses  on  the  top 
of  the  head  or  on  the  neck  close  to  the  head.  A  poll- 
evil  is  generally  believed  to  be  brought  on  by  an  injury, 
such  as  hitting  the  head  against  the  ceiling,  pulling 
on  the  halter,  or  by  overcheck.  In  many  cases  it  is 
difficult  to  assign  the  cause,  but  the  disease  is  prob- 
ably caused  by  bacteria  invading  the  tissues  of 
that  region. 

The  first  symptom  of  poll-evil  is  a  rather  firm,  puffy 
swelling  that  occurs  on  the  top,  or  on  one  or  both 
sides  of  the  top  of  the  neck.  There  is  usually  little 
pain  in  the  early  stages,  but  later  the  increased  pres- 
sure   of    the    pus  causes   the   horse   some   pain    and   he 


Poll -evil  169 

carries  his  head  with  the  nose  protruded  to  get  relief. 
At  first  tlie  poll -evil  contains  a  yellowish  water}-  fluid. 
This  fluid,  which  later  becomes  pus,  often  burrows 
between  the  muscles  of  the  neck  for  considerable  dis- 
tances, and,  if  no  opening  is  made,  it  ma}'  finallj-  break 
through  and  discharge  some  distance  from  the  seat 
of  the  trouble. 

In  the  early  stages,  poll -evil  can  sometimes  be 
"scattered"  by  the  application  of  cold  water,  followed 
by  thorough  rubbing  with  a  stimulating  liniment,  or 
by  applications  of  iodine,  either  the  tincture  or  as  an 
ointment.  These  remedies  may  be  applied  until  the 
skin  begins  to  get  sore,  when  thej-  should  be  withheld 
for  a  few  days.  If  the  poll -evil  is  not  scattered,  it 
must  be  opened  as  soon  as  pus  can  be  detected.  A 
good-sized  incision  should  be  made  as  low  as  possible, 
to  give  free  drainage.  The  false  membrane  can  be 
dissected  out  with  the  knife  or  destroyed  with  a  caustic. 
Chlorid  or  "butter"  of  antimony,  applied  by  means 
of  a  swab  to  every  portion  of  the  lining  membrane  of 
the  cavity  or  the  tubes  which  extend  from  it,  is  excellent. 
Other  caustics  used  for  this  purpose  are  a  small  piece 
of  lunar  caustic  placed  in  each  cavity  or  tube,  a  small 
lump  of  blue  vitriol,  or  absorbent  cotton  wet  with  a 
strong  solution  (one  to  one  hundred)  of  corrosive  sub- 
limate. After  using  the  caustic,  the  fistula  should  be 
washed  out  once  daily  and  a  mild  antiseptic  used,  such 
as  corrosive  sublimate  (one  part  to  a  thousand  of 
water),  or  one  part  carbolic  acid  to  thirty  parts  of 
water.  Showering  the  parts  once  daily  with  cold 
water  from  a  hose  is  advisable.     Pure  tincture  of  iodine 


170  The    Care    of  Animals 

should  be  injected  into  the  fistula  about  once  in  eight 
or  ten  days.  Another  good  method  of  treatment  is  to 
use  no  water  on  the  fistula  after  opening,  but  to  swab 
out  with  dry  absorbent  cotton  and  inject  pure  tincture 
of  iodine  once  daily. 

Other  remedies  that  are  sometimes  used  with  good 
results  are  hydrogen  peroxid,  one  part  to  two  parts  of 
water;  this  is  useful  for  cleansing  out  all  sores.  Blue 
vitriol,  or  sulfate  of  copper,  a  heaping  teaspoonful  to 
a  pint  of  water,  is  a  good  antiseptic. 

Fistulous    Withers 

This  disease,  frequently  called  "thistelow,"  is  prac- 
tically the  same  condition  as  poll -evil,  except  that  it 
occurs  on  the  withers,  or  lower  and  back  part  of  the 
top  of  the  neck.  The  causes  are  believed  to  be  the 
same, —  bruises  or  injuries,  allowing  germs  to  invade  the 
tissues.  The  treatment  is  the  same  except  that  here 
it  is  easier  to  secure  good  drainage.  If  possible,  get  an 
opening  at  the  bottom  and  top  or  on  both  sides  of  the 
withers  or  neck.  In  some  cases,  when  the  healing 
process  is  slow,  a  seaton  or  tape  passed  through  the 
fistula  and  left  there  gives  excellent  results.  The 
seaton  should  be  shifted  to  a  clean  place  each  day,  the 
wound  well  washed,  and  antiseptics  used.  When  the 
fistula  is  nearly  filled  up,  the  seaton  should  be  removed. 

In  fistulous  withers,  the  spinous  processes  of  the 
back-bone  may  become  diseased,  and  it  is  necessary  to 
cut  them  off  before  the  sore  will  heal.  It  sometimes 
requires  months  to  cure  a  bad  case  of  this  disease. 


A 


Cancers    and    Tumors  171 

Cancer 

True  cancers  are  not  common  to  animals,  although 
malignant  sores  are  sometimes  found  that  do  not  yield 
readily  to  the  ordinary  methods  of  treatment.  When 
such  sores  occur,  it  is  necessary  to  treat  them  according 
to  their  individual  peculiarity  as  regards  form,  location 
and  size.  If  feasible,  it  is  usually  the  best  plan  to 
remove  the  diseased  part  by  surgical  means  and  to 
treat  the  case  afterward  as  a  simple  wound.  When 
this  is  not  possible,  the  part  may  be  poulticed  for  a 
day  or  two,  then  the  diseased  portion  destroyed  by 
means  of  a  caustic,  such  as  chlorid  of  antimony,  applied 
with  a  swab,  with  after-treatment  as  for  a  simple 
wound.  It  is  not  a  good  plan  to  use  strong  caustics 
frequently  on  wounds,  as  the  caustic  destroys  the  ten- 
der healing  tissue  and  often  produces  a  dense,  fibrous 
growth  that  is  extremely  difficult  to  remove  or  to  heal. 

Tumors 

Tumors  are  abnormal  growths  of  tissue.  There  are 
many  kinds,  usually  named  from  the  kind  of  tissue  of 
which  the}'  are  composed,  as  fibrous  and  fatty  tumors. 
In  white  or  gray  iiorses  there  are  often  found  melanotic 
tumors,  composed  of  coloring  matter,  usuallj'  located  in 
the  skin  in  the  region  of  the  neck,  urino- genital  organs, 
or  tail.  Warts  are  tumors  of  the  skin.  Sore  tumors, 
that  tend  to  spread  and  do  not  yield  to  treatment,  are 
known  as  malignant  tumors. 

The  true  cause  of  the  growth  of  most  tumors  is 
not  known.     Sometimes  fibrous  tumors  are  caused  by 


172  The    Care    of  Animals 

irritation,  such  as  repeated  hitting  of  a  part.  Tumors 
sometimes  follow  surgical  operations  or  wounds.  Horses 
often  have  tumors  in  their  noses. 

The  only  satisfactory  treatment  for  tumors  is  to 
remove  them.  There  are  several  methods  of  doing 
this  ;  the  best  one,  for  most  tumors,  and  the  only  one 
for  some,  is  to  cut  them  out  with  a  knife.  Care  should 
be  taken  to  guard  against  hemorrhage,  as  the  blood 
supply  to  some  tumors  is  large.  Another  method 
that  can  be  used  to  advantage  when  the  growth  has 
a  small  base  is  to  tie  a  strong  string  —  a  waxed- 
end,  fish  line,  or  a  rubber  band  wound  several  times 
—  tightl}'  around  this  stem,  thus  shutting  off  the 
blood  supply.  In  a  few  days  the  tumor  will  slough 
off,  and  the  resulting  sore  should  be  treated  as  a 
simple  wound.  Another  method  is  to  slough  them  off 
by  using  caustics.  Arsenic  or  corrosive  sublimate  are 
commonly  used,  either  singly  or  combined.  A  pellet  of 
the  caustic  about  the  size  of  a  small  pea,  wrapped 
in  tissue-paper  or  muslin,  is  pushed  into  a  small  inci- 
sion made  in  the  base  of  the  tumor.  Sometimes  two 
or  three  pellets  are  placed  in  a  large  one.  In  a  few 
days  the  tumor  will  begin  to  separate,  and  will  finally 
slough  off.  The  difficulty  in  using  caustics  is  to  confine 
their  action  to  the  diseased  tissue. 

Shoe -boil — Capped   Elhoiv 

A  disease  that  partakes  of  the  nature  both  of  an 
abscess  and  a  tumor  is  a  capped  elbow,  or  shoe -boil. 
It  i'^  situated  on  the  elbow,  and  first  appears  as  a  soft, 


Shoe -boil  173 

flabby  bag,  which  contains  a  little  watery  fluid.  The 
cause  of  shoe -boils  is  irritation  due  to  lying  on  the 
shoe,  with  the  foot  bent  back  ;  hence,  as  soon  as  the 
first  signs  of  it  appear,  the  source  of  the  irritation 
should  be  removed.  This  is  not  always  easy.  If  the 
heels  of  the  shoe  are  long  they  should  be  shortened,  so 
that  they  will  not  protrude.  The  horse  should  be  well 
bedded  and  a  thick  protecting  pad  placed  on  the  pas- 
tern of  the  offending  leg.  Another  excellent  method 
of  preventing  a  horse  from  lying  on  the  heel  of  the 
shoe  is  to  spike  a  piece  of  plank  two  by  six  inches 
across  the  stall,  about  a  foot  back  of  where  the  front 
feet  usually  stand.  The  corners  of  the  two -by -six 
should  be  rounded  and  the  whole  well  covered  with 
bedding  at  night.  This  prevents  the  horse  fronj  doub- 
ling the  fore  foot  back  on  the  elbow  when  lying  down, 
but  does  not  inconvenience  the  animal. 

In  the  early  stages  of  this  disease,  fomentations  of 
hot  water  twice  daily  followed  with  a  stimulating  lini- 
ment well  rubbed  in  will  often  bring  relief.  If  the 
shoe- boil  is  large  and  filled  with  fluid,  it  should  be 
opened  at  the  most  dependent  part,  the  false  membrane 
lining  the  cavity  destroyed  by  swabbing  the  cavity  out 
with  butter  of  antimony,  and  the  wound  treated  as 
a   fistula. 

Another  form  of  capped  elbow  is  a  fibrous  tumor, 
which  usually  occurs  where  a  soft  shoe -boil  breaks  and 
is  neglected,  or  when  the  cause  of  the  shoe -boil  is 
not  entirely  removed.  The  best  treatment  is  to  remove 
the  fibrous  bunches  with  the  knife  and  to  treat  after- 
ward  as    a   simple    wound. 


174  The    Care    of  Animals 

When  there  is  a  small  flabby  bunch  on  a  horse's  elbow, 
removing  the  fibrous  contents  will  prevent  a  shoe -boil. 

Capped   Rock 

This  disease  occurs  at  the  point  of  the  hock  and  is 
usuallj'  caused  either  by  lying  on  the  hock  or  by  the 
irritation  due  to  the  repeated  hitting  of  a  whiffle -tree, 
chain  or  other  obstacle.  The  abscess  or  tumor  is  usualh' 
much  smaller  than  that  on  a  capped  elbow.  The  symp- 
toms and  treatment  are  the  same. 

Synovial    Cajyped   Hock 

This  condition,  showing  beneath  the  tendon  that 
passes  over  the  point  of  the  hock,  is  practically  the 
same  as  a  wind -puff,  and  should  have  similar  treat- 
ment.     (See  "Wind-puffs,"  page  239.) 

Open    Joint 

A  wound  that  is  likely  to  prove  serious  or  fatal 
is  one  that  opens  the  tissues  over  the  joint  so  that 
the  synovial  fluid,  or  joint -oil,  will  escape.  These 
wounds  are  generally  very  small  incisions,  often  result- 
ing from  kicks,  especially  from  horses  that  are  sharp 
shod,  from  prods  with  a  pitchfork  or  similar  sharp 
object.  The3^  would  be  insignificant  as  wounds  were  not 
the  joint  opened. 

At  first  there  are  few  symptoms — a  trifling  wound 
from  which  a  small  amount  of  blood  escapes.  If  the 
wound  is  examined  carefully,  a  small  amount  of  watery, 


Open    Joint  11  o 

sticky  fluid  may  be  noticed,  that  has  a  slippery  feel 
when  rubbed  between  the  fingers.  In  the  course  of 
twenty-four  hours,  the  joint  swells  and  becomes  in- 
flamed. The  horse  is  "dead  lame,"  scarcely  touching 
the  affected  leg  to  the  floor.  In  some  cases  there  is 
fever,  sweating,  loss  of  appetite  and  other  symptoms 
of  severe  pain.  The  discharge  of  synovial  fluid  in- 
creases, especially  if  the  animal  moves  the  joint,  until 
a  large  amount  escapes.  In  most  cases  the  ani- 
mal holds  the  leg  from  the  floor,  or  barely  rests  the 
toe.  At  first  the  joint -oil  that  escapes  is  colorless, 
but,  as  the  inflammation  extends  and  becomes  more 
severe,  the  fluid  becomes  thicker,  amber-colored,  then 
reddish,  and  in  severe  cases  it  may  contain  pus. 

The  proper  treatment  is  to  close  the  wound  and  get 
it  to  heal  as  quickly  as  possible.  An  open  joint  should 
not  be  probed  nor  should  antiseptics  or  other  fluids 
be  injected  into  the  joint.  The  wound  should  be 
treated  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  injury.  If  it  is 
of  some  size,  it  can  often  be  closed  with  stitches,  but 
care  must  be  taken  not  to  pierce  the  joint  with  the 
needle.  After  the  wound  is  closed,  or  at  once,  if  it 
is  small,  it  can  be  covered  with  iodoform,  powdered 
acetanilid,  or  parched  flour,  and  covered  with  bandages. 
If  a  scab  forms  that  stops  the  escape  of  the  joint -oil, 
it  should  not  be  removed.  To  lessen  the  inflammation, 
cold  applications,  such  as  crushed  ice  or  contin- 
uous irrigation  by  cold  water  may  be  employed. 
The  animal  should  be  kept  as  quiet  as  possible 
so  as  to  prevent  moving  the  joint.  If  the  wound 
heals  at  once  and  the  inflammation  subsides,  there  is 


176  The    Care    of  Animals 

a  good  prospect  of  recovery.  If  the  inflammation  is 
severe  and  long-continued,  the  joint  is  likely  to  weld 
together  and  to  become  permanently  stifl:  {anchylosed) . 
It  is  sometimes  advisable,  in  severe  cases,  to  kill  the 
animal  in  the  early  stages  of  the  trouble,  and  end  the 
intense  suffering  that  is  often  associated  with  the  disease. 

Capped  Knees 

This  disease  usually  occurs  in  cattle  that  are  con- 
fined in  stanchions,  and  is  caused  by  irritation  of  the 
knees  in  getting  up  and  down.  A  baggy  tumor  forms 
on  the  front  and  lower  part  of  the  knee.  It  is  often 
of  large  size,  but  seems  to  cause  little  inconvenience 
to  the  animal. 

In  treatment,  first  remove  the  cause  by  confining 
the  animal  in  some  other  manner,  or  by  keeping  the 
floor  well  covered  with  bedding.  The  tumor  can  be 
reduced  in  size  by  hot  fomentations  and  by  rubbing 
with  liniment,  but  to  remove  it  effectively  the  best 
way  is  to  open  at  the  bottom  and  treat  the  same  as 
a  shoe -boil  on  a  horse.  In  all  of  these  diseases,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  the  cause  must  be  removed 
before  a  cure  can  be  effected,  and  that  the  disease  is 
likely  to  recur  if  the  cause  is  again  encountered. 

Wrij   Tail 

The  habitual  carrying  of  the  tail  to  one  side  is  a 
marked  blemish  in  desirable  driving  horses.  The  only 
treatment  is  to  cut  the  contracted  muscles  on  the'  side 
toward  which  the  tail   is  drawn,  and  then  to  carry  the 


Ruptures  111 

tail  to  the  opposite  side  and  to  retain  it  in  that  posi- 
tion by  tying  to  a  girth  until  the  wound  has  partially 
or  wholly  healed. 

Sivitcliing  the  Tail 

Some  mares  of  a  nervous  disposition  have  a  bad 
habit  of  switching  the  tail  while  being  driven,  espe- 
cially when  spoken  to  or  touched  with  the  whip.  In 
some  cases,  breeding  the  mare  and  allowing  her  to 
raise  a  colt  will  correct  the  habit;  in  other  cases, 
spaying  the  mare  through  the  vagina  will  stop  the 
vice.  But  in  extreme  and  persistent  cases  the  only 
treatment  is  to  cut  the  muscles  from  both  sides 
of  the  roots  of  the  tail. 

Hernia 

A  hernia,  commonly  called  a  rupture,  in  most 
cases  is  caused  by  external  violence,  such  as  a  kick 
or  a  blow,  that  breaks  the  muscular  walls  of  the 
abdomen,  or  belly,  and  allows  some  of  the  contents  — 
usually  the  omentum,  a  thin  curtain  of  fat,  or  a  loop 
of  the  intestines  —  to  protrude  through  the  opening  and 
press  outward  against  the  skin. 

There  is  a  rounded,  rather  firm  mass  that  causes 
the  skin  to  bulge  out  as  if  the  part  were  badly 
swollen,  but  there  is  a  well-defined  line  of  separation 
between  the  swelling  and  the  other  tissues.  The  hernia 
is  not  tender  to  the  touch,  and  seldom  causes  the 
animal  any  inconvenience.  By  carefully  manipulating 
the    bunch,    the    protruding    mass    can    gradually    be 


178  The    Care    of  Animals 

worked  back  into  the  abdominal  cavitj^  only  to  return 
again  when  the  pressure  is  removed. 

A  strangulated  hernia  is  one  in  which  a  loop  of 
the  intestine  protrudes  through  the  opening  and  be- 
comes strangled  by  pressure.  It  is  always  a  serious 
condition  and  demands  prompt  treatment.  The  symp- 
toms are  those  of  colic,  the  animal  suffering  severe 
abdominal  pain.  In  treating  this  trouble,  the  horse 
should  be  kept  in  such  a  position  that  the  hernia  is  on 
the  upper  side,  so  that  the  force  of  gravity  will  pull 
the  intestine  back  into  the  cavity.  Hot  cloths  should 
be  applied  to  the  hernia  to  relax  the  parts,  and  then 
by  careful  manipulation  the  intestine  may  be  returned 
to  the  abdominal  cavity.  Afterwards,  the  intestine 
may  be  kept  within  by  means  of  a  truss  firmly  applied 
to  the  spot.  But  it  is  a  difficult  matter  to  keep  a 
truss  in  position  on  an  animal.  In  most  of  these 
cases,  a  surgical  operation  is  necessary  to  close  the 
opening,  whether  the  trouble  be  a  common  omental, 
or  an  intestinal  hernia.  An  expert  surgeon  should  be 
employed  to  operate. 

When  a  hernia,  or  rupture,  is  first  formed,  the  mass 
should  be  returned  and  then  a  blister  applied  to  the 
part,  together  with  a  temporary  truss.  The  parts  will 
swell  and  in  healing  will  often  close  the  opening.  An 
ordinary  hernia,  with  no  loop  of  the  intestine  pro- 
truding, can  be  treated  by  tying  a  stout  string  or 
rubber  band  about  the  hernia  and  sloughing- the  part 
off.  This  will  effect  a  cure  in  most  cases  if  properly 
applied.  A  hernia  may  occur  on  any  part  of  the 
belly. 


I 


Ruptures  179 

Scrotal  Hertiia 

A  scrotal  hernia  is  one  in  which  a  loop  of  the 
intestine  descends  into  the  scrotum  alongside  a  tes- 
ticle. It  occurs  frequently  in  foals,  usually  being 
present  when  the  colt  is  foaled.  A  scrotal  hernia  can 
be  recognized  by  the  presence  of  a  large,  soft  mass 
in  the  scrotum,  that  can  be  pushed  up  into  the  abdom- 
inal cavity.  By  pinching  the  colt's  throat,  and  at 
the  same  time  watching  the  hernia,  it  will  be  seen  to 
jump  up  as  the  colt  coughs. 

Iti  a  majority  of  cases  in  little  colts  no  treatment 
is  needed  for  scrotal  hernia,  as  the  animal  will  outgrow 
the  difficulty.  In  bad  and  persistent  cases,  the  hernia 
should  be  returned  and  the  colt  castrated  by  the  cov- 
ered operation,  described  under  castration.    (Page  186.) 

CUSTOMARY     SURGICAL    PRACTICES 

Under  this  head  are  included  such  familiar  opera- 
tions as  removing  appendages  and  preventing  the 
breeding  of  animals.  With  most  of  them  every 
progressive  farmer  is  now  familiar. 

Dehorning 

Dehorning  consists  in  the  removal  of  the  horns  by 
some  surgical  method,  or  by  the  application  to  the 
budding  horns  of  calves  of  some  substance  that  will 
prevent  their  growth.  It  is  better  to  remove  or  pre- 
vent the  growth  of  horns  in  calves  than  to  wait  until 
the  animals  have  attained  their  growth.      In  domestic 


180  The    Care    of  Animals 

animals,  horns  are  useless  and  dangerous  appendages, 
and  few  experienced  persons  are  nowadays  willing  to 
have  horned  animals  about  them. 

The  best  method  of  removing  the  horns  is  to  apply 
caustic  potash  to  the  budding  horn  as  soon  as  the 
"button"  can  be  felt  beneath  the  skin  on  the  head  of 
the  calf.  The  hair  should  be  clipped  off,  the  skin 
over  the  immature  horn  wet,  and  then  well  rubbed 
with  the  stick  of  caustic  potash,  the  fingers  being  well 
protected  from  it.  In  applying  the  caustic,  care  should 
be  taken  to  cover  the  w^iole  "button."  After  the  horn 
is  well  started  it  is  difficult  to  remove  with  caustic. 
A  small  gouge  is  sometimes  used  to  remove  the 
immature    horns. 

In  removing  the  horns  from  mature  animals,  the 
animal  is  confined  in  a  stanchion  or  chute  made  for 
the  purpose,  a  halter  is  put  on  the  head  and  the 
latter  pulled  well  forward  and  to  one  side,  and  firmly 
held.  The  horn  is  then  removed,  either  with  a  saw 
or  with  dehorning  shears  made  for  the  purpose.  In  re- 
moving the  horn  a  good  ring  of  hair  is  to  be  taken 
off  with  the  base  of  the  horn,  or  the  horn  will  grow 
out  as  a  stub.  After  the  horn  is  renioved,  some  pine 
tar  may  be  applied  and  a  layer  of  absorbent  cotton 
placed  over  the  wound  to  stop  the  bleeding  and  keep 
out  the  dirt.  Cattle  should  not  be  dehorned  when 
flies  are  bad,  and,  after  dehorning,  should  not  be 
allowed  access  to  straw  stacks  where  they  can  get 
chaff  into  the  wounds.  Dehorning  is  not  a  reprehensible 
practice,  as  some  persons  suppose.  The  pain  of  the 
operation  is  usually  slight.    The  animal  is  saved  injuries 


Bocl'iiig  —  Castraiing  181 

from  fights,   and  it  leads  a  more  contented  and  peace- 
ful life. 

Docking    Horses 

Docking  horses  by  cutting  off  the  tail,  except  for 
disease  or  to  overcome  a  vice,  is  a  useless  and  cruel 
practice,  and  is  not  to  be  recommended.  It  is  now 
the  fashion  to  dock  horses,  but  such  a  fashion  cannot 
be  permanent. 

Docking   Lambs 

In  docking  the  tails  of  lambs  a  strong,  sharp  knife 
should  be  used,  and  the  tail  amputated  at  a  joint  if 
possible.  To  prevent  hemorrhage,  touching  the  end 
of  the  cut  artery  with  a  hot  iron  or  twisting  it  with 
a  pair  of  fine  forceps  will  usually  stop  the  flow  of 
blood.  The  younger  lambs  are  docked  the  less 
is  the  hemorrhage,  and  the  animals  do  not  seem  to 
suffer  under  the  operation  as  they  do  when  they  are 
older.  Lambs  are  docked  to  render  them  cleaner  and 
to  prevent  the  occurrence  of  filth  diseases. 

,  Castrciting  • 

Castration  consists  in  the  removal  or  destruction 
of  the  essential  organs  of  generation.  In  the  male 
these  organs  are  the  testicles;  in  the  female  they  are 
the  ovaries.  The  term  castration  is  properly  applied 
only  to  the  removal  of  testicles.  The  operation  in 
the  female  is  commonly  called  "spaying,"  and  after  the 
operation  the   animal  is  said  to  be  "spayed."     Animals 


182  The    Care    of  Animals 

are  castrated  on  account  of  disease,  to  prevent  tliem 
from  breeding,  to  make  them  more  tractable,  to  cause 
them  to  fatten  more  easily;  and  in  some  animals  to 
improve  the  qualitj^  of  the  meat. 

In  general,  the  j'ounger  the  animals  when  operated 
the  better  they  withstand  the  operation.  Colts  are 
usually  castrated  the  spring  they  are  two  years  old,  but, 
if  they  are  not  well  developed,  it  is  sometimes  better  to 
let  them  go  until  they  are  three  years  old.  Calves, 
lambs  and  pigs  are  usually  castrated  when  a  few 
weeks  old,  or  as  soon  as  they  are  growing  nicely. 
Heifers  are  spayed  as  yearlings  or  two- 3' ear -olds; 
sows  and  bitches  at  any  age  after  three  months. 
Females  should  not  be  spayed  when  pregnant,  or  in 
heat.  Animals  should  not  be  operated  when  sick 
or  debilitated.  Operating  when  the  weather  is  very 
hot  or  very  cold,  or  when  the  flies  are  bad,  should 
be  avoided.  The  spring  of  the  year,  when  the  weather 
is  cool  and  pasture  good,  is  an  excellent  time. 

Before  operating,  the  animals  should  always  be 
examined  to  determine  whether  both  testicles  are 
"down,"  that  is,  in  the  scrotum,  not  in  the  abdominal 
cavity,  and  to  determine,  also,  whether  there  is  a  hernia 
or  rupture  into  the  scrotum.  (Page  179.)  Colts  with 
testicles  not  down  are  called  "ridglings,"  or  "cryptor- 
chids."  (Page  186.)  Hernias  are  more  likely  to  be 
found  in  colts  and  pigs. 

In  castrating,  the  greatest  danger  to  be  guarded  against 
is  hemorrhage.  In  small  animals  this  is  inconsiderable; 
in  larger  animals  measures  must  be  taken  to  prevent 
this,  as  the  artery  that  supplies  the  testicle  is  large. 


Castrating  183 

There  are  two  positions  in  wbiuh  animals  are  placed 
for  castration.  The  standing  position  can  be  used  for 
colts  or  bulls.  The  colt  should  be  placed  with  his 
left  side  to  a  wall,  and  restrained  by  a  twist  on  his 
nose.  The  operator,  standing  on  the  right  side  of 
the  colt,  grasps  the  scrotum  above  the  testicles  with 
the  left  hand,  and  with  the  right  makes  two  incisions 
into  the  scrotum,  exposing  both  testicles,  which  are 
then  drawn  down  and  removed  with  an  emasculator, 
or  "ecraseur."  Bulls  can  be  confined  in  a  narrow  stall, 
with  a  stanchion,  the  head  drawn  Avell  to  one  side- 
and  fastened  with  a  halter.  The  operator  grasps  the 
scrotum,  reaching  between  the  hind  legs  with  the  left 
hand,  and  operates  as  on  a  colt. 

The  general  method  of  operating  is  hy  confining 
the  animal  in  a  recumbent  position.  In  small  animals 
this  is  easih'  done  by  an  assistant  holding  the  animal 
in  his  lap,  grasping  the  two  right  legs  in  his  right 
hand  and  the  two  left  in  his  left  hand.  Colts  are 
thrown  and  confined  by  "side-lines,"  the  legs  drawn 
well  forward  and  high  up  on  the  shoulder  to  prevent 
struggling.  The  colt  is  placed  on  his  left  side  or 
back,  the  operator  standing  by  the  right  hip.  The 
scrotum  should  be  well  washed  and  antiseptics  used. 
If  one  testicle  is  smaller  than  the  other,  remove  it 
first;  otherwise  remove  the  lower  one  first.  Grasp  the 
scrotum  firmly  below  the  testicles,  squeezing  them 
against  the  skin  to  draw  it  tight.  Make  the  incision 
close  to  the  line  (raphe)  which  divides  the  scrotum 
in  the  middle,  and  well  forward;  the  incision  should 
be  large  enough  to  allow  the  testicle  to  slip  oat  freely, 


IS-l  The    Care    of  Animals 

and  to  give  free  drainage.  There  are  several  layers 
to  cut  through;  when  the  inner  one  is  cut  usually  a 
little  fluid  (serum)  spurts  out.  The  cord  should  be 
severed  at  least  four  inches  from  the  testicle,  to  pre- 
vent the  cord  from  healing  fast  in  the  wound  in  the 
scrotum  and  forming  a  tumor, —  commonly  called  a 
"schirrous  cord"  or  "champignon," — that  may  attain  a 
large  size.  The  only  treatment  for  such  tumor  is  to 
remove  it  the  same  as  a  testicle,  hy  surgical  means. 
There  are  many  ways  of  severing  the  cord  : 

1.  By  using  an  ecraseur  or  an  emasculator,  instru- 
ments designed  to  crush  blood-vessels  and  prevent 
hemorrhage.  Both  of  these  instruments  are  very  satis- 
factory. 

2.  By  tying  the  cord  with  a  small,  strong  string, 
and  cutting  off  the  testicle  with  a  knife  close  to  the 
string. 

3.  By  torsion  or  twisting.  A  clamp  is  put  on  the 
cord  and  firmly  held,  a  pair  of  forceps  placed  on  the 
cord  between  the  clamp  and  testicle,  about  an  inch 
apart,  the  forceps  turned  in  one  direction  until  the 
cord  is  twisted  off.  The  objection  to  this  method  is 
that  it  is  slow. 

4.  Searing  the  cord  with  a  hot  iron.  A  clamp  is 
fi.rmly  fastened  on  the  cord.  The  testicle  is  then  severed 
with  a  knife  and  the  end  of  the  cord  seared  with  a 
hot  iron.  The  objection  to  this  is  the  pain  to  the 
animal,  and  the  time  required. 

The  old  method  of  placing  wooden  clamps  on  the 
cord  is  now  discarded  by  good  surgeons,  except  for 
the  "covered  operation"   when  there  is  scrotal   hernia. 


Castrating  185 

lu  small  animals  where  hemorrhage  is  feared,  if  the 
cord,  is  scraped  or  torn  apart  there  is  much  less  dan- 
ger of  bleeding  than  when  the  cord  is  cut  w^ith  a  sharp 
knife. 

After  the  operation  the  colt  should  rest  for  a  time 
and  then  have  gentle  exercise,  as  this  tends  to  remove 
blood  clots  that  ma\"  collect  in  the  scrotum.  If  there 
is  much  swelling  give  plenty  of  exercise,  and  nitrate 
of  potash  ( saltpeter)  a  small  tablespoonful  to  a  two- 
year -old  daily  for  two  or  three  days.  If  there  are 
symptoms  of  septicemia,  or  blood  -  poisoning,  the 
wounds  and  scrotum  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  out, 
blood  clots  and  pus  removed  and  antiseptics  used  freely 
at  least  twice  daily.  Peritonitis,  or  inflammation  of 
the  lining  membrane  of  the  abdominal  cavity,  some- 
times follows  and  is  usually  fatal.  Antiseptics  should 
be  used  on  the  wounds,  and  enemas  of  warm  water  and 
glycerine  to  empty  the  bowels.  If  the  animal  suffers 
severely,  laudanum  in  ounce  doses  may  be  administered 
every  six  hours  until  the   pain  is  lessened. 

In  castrating  lambs,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  cut  off 
the  lower  end  of  the  scrotum  instead  of  making  a  sepa- 
rate incision  on  each  side.  The  testicles  are  then  drawn 
down  and  the  cord  cut  off  well  up.  There  is  very 
little  danger  of  hemorrhage  in  castrating  young  lambs, 
and  the  cord  can  usually  be  torn,  scraped  or  cut  off. 

The  same  method  is  sometimes  used  in  castrating 
calves.  In  castrating  bulls  the  end  of  the  scrotum  is 
frequently  cut  off,  but  the  cord  should  be  separated 
with  the  ecraseur,  emasculator,  or  scraped  off,  as  there 
is  often  considerable  hemorrhage. 


186  The    Care    of  Animals 

A  ridgling  or  cryptorchid  is  a  colt  or  horse  in  which 
one  of  the  testicles  remains  in  the  abdominal  cavity, 
and  does  not  descend  into  the  scrotum  at  birth,  as 
is  usually  the  case.  In  a  few  cases  the  missing  testicle 
can  be  felt  in  the  inguinal  canal,  leading  from  the 
abdominal  cavity  to  the  scrotum,  where  it  can  be  se- 
cured and  removed  in  the  ordinary  way,  but  in  most 
eases  the  testicle  is  in  the  abdominal  cavity  and  an 
expert  surgeon  should  be  called  upon  to  operate  for 
its  removal.  A  ridgling  has  all  the  characteristics 
of  a  stallion,  and  after  the  testicle  that  is  down  is 
removed,  can  serve  and  impregnate  mares,  although 
the  service  is  not  as  sure  as  that  of  a  perfect  stallion. 
In  rare  cases  both  testicles  remain  in  the  abdominal 
cavity. 

Scrotal  hernia  is  most  frequentl}-  met  with  in  colts 
and  pigs.  In  operating,  an  incision  is  made  through 
the  skin,  but  not  through,  the  thin,  white  membrane 
that  covers  the  testicle.  The  hernia  is  then  reduced 
by  working  the  intestine  back  into  the  abdominal  cavity, 
and  a  clamp  is  firmly  fastened  on  the  sack  above  the 
testicles  and  they  are  removed.  The  clamps  are  left 
on  until  the  sack  is  grown  together  above;  this  holds  the 
hernia  in  place.  In  operating  on  colts  or  horses,  a  skilled 
surgeon  should  be  employed.  While  scrotal  hernias  are 
rather  common  in  young  colts,  most  of  the  animals 
outgrow  the  difficult}'  before  they  are  two  years  old. 
In  operating  on  pigs,  the  hernia  is  pushed  back  into 
the  cavity,  the  testicle  removed  and  the  sack  firmly 
sewed  up  by  sewing  "over  and  over,"  or  the  sack  is 
gathered  together  and  firmly  tied  with  a  stout  string. 


Castrating  —  Caponiziyig  187 

The  secret  of  success  in  castration  is  to  have  the 
instruments  and  the  parts  clean,  to  use  antiseptics 
freely,  to  operate  quickly,  to  make  the  incisions  of 
good  size,  close  to  the  middle  line  of  the  scrotum 
(raphe)  and  well  forward,  to  take  the  testicle  off  well 
up,  and  to  give  plenty  of  exercise  after  the  operation. 

Caponizing 

Castrating  fowls  is  called  "  caponizing, "  and  the 
castrated  animal  is  called  a  "capon."  The  operation  is 
performed  to  prevent  breeding,  to  make  them  grow 
faster,  and  to  cause  them  to  fatten  more  easily.  Capons 
weigh,  on  an  average,  one -third  more  than  cocks  of 
the  same  age,  and  the  meat  is  of  much  better  quality. 

The  best  time  to  caponize  cockerels  is  at  six  w^eks 
old.  They  should  fast  twenty-four  hours  before  the 
operation.  A  tilting  table,  about  the  height  of  a 
barrel,  is  excellent,  but  a  barrel  can  be  used.  The 
light  must  be  very  good.  The  cockerel  is  stretched 
out  and  confined  by  loops  of  cloth  to  which  w^eights 
are  attached.  One  loop  is  placed  about  the  wings 
and  another  about  the  legs.  The  operation  is  best 
performed  on  the  left  side.  At  six  weeks  old,  it  is 
not  necessary  to  pluck  the  feathers.  On  older  animals, 
however,  a  few  feathers  must  be  removed  from  the 
point  of  operation.  An  incision  about  an  inch  long 
is  made  between,  and  parallel  with,  the  last  two  ribs. 
The  incision  should  be  made  at  one  stroke  through 
the  skin  and  muscles.  The  peritoneum,  or  lining 
membrane,    is    then    torn    through    and    the    intestines 


188  The    Care    of  Animals 

pushed  down  out  of  the  way.  The  left  testicle  is 
situated  in  front  of  the  kidney  and  behind  the  lung. 
It  is  best  removed  with  an  ecraseur,  made  by  doubling 
an  "E"  violin  string  and  pushing  the  loop  through 
a  small  tube.  This  loop  is  slipped  over  the  testicle 
and  tightly  drawn,  thus  cutting  oif  the  testicle.  Both 
testicles  can  be  removed  through  one  incision,  bnt 
many  operators  think  they  can  save  time  and  that  the 
fowls  do  better  when  operated  on  from  both  sides. 
The  incision  should  be  sewed  up  by  taking  two  or 
three  stitches.  Following  the  operation,  feed  the  birds 
lightly  with  soft,  laxative  food.  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks 
make  very  fine  capons. 

The  loss  from  the  operation  is  very  small  when  prop- 
erly performed,  and  few  ^' slips,"  in  which  both  testicles 
have  not  been  removed,  will  occur.  An  amateur,  be- 
fore attempting  to  operate,  should  practice  upon  a 
dead  cockerel  until  he  is  familiar  with  the  anatomy 
of  the  parts.  The  best  plan  is  to  take  instruction 
from  an  expert  caponizer. 

Spaying 

There  are  three  general  methods  of  spaying. 
First. —  Through  the  vagina.  This  method  is  appli- 
cable only  to  large  animals,  as  cows  and  mares,  where 
the  vagina  is  large  enough  to  receive  the  hand.  The 
animal  is  confined  in  a  standing  position.  The  left 
hand  is  inserted  in  the  vagina,  or  uterus.  An  incision 
is  then  made  in  the  upper  front  part  of  the  wall  of 
the  vagina,  just  in  front  of  the  uterus.     The  left  hand 


Spaying  189 

is  inserted  through  the  incision,  the  ovaries  are  found  on 
either  side  of  the  uterus  and  removed  with  an  ecraseur 
or  emasculator,  made  for  the  purpose.  This  is  an 
excellent  method  when  it  can  be  used. 

Second. — The  flank  method.  This  is  used  mostly 
for  heifers  and  sows,  though  some  surgeons  also  use 
it  for  bitches.  Heifers  are  confined  in  the  standing 
position,  in  stanchions,  and  crowded  against  a  wall  on 
the  left  side;  the  hair  is  clipped  from  a  space  about 
six  inches  long  and  two  inches  wide,  between  the  point 
of  the  hip  and  last  rib,  antiseptics  used,  and  an  inci- 
sion four  or  five  inches  long  made  through  the  skin 
and  muscles.  Some  operators  prefer  the  left  side,  but 
the  rumen,  or  "paunch,"  is  somewhat  in  the  way. 
The  left  hand,  previously  cleaned  and  oiled,  is  inserted, 
the  ovaries  found  lying  on  either  side  of  the  uterus 
or  womb,  and  removed  with  an  emasculator  or  spaying 
shears.  The  wound  is  closed  with  two  strong  stitches, 
antiseptics  being  used.  Both  ovaries  are  removed 
through  one  incision. 

A  sow  is  laid  on  a  table,  the  mouth  firmly  tied 
with  a  strip  of  strong  cloth  to  prevent  biting.  The 
incision  can  be  made  on  either  side.  The  tube  connect- 
ing the  ovary  with  the  uterus  is  found  and  followed 
to  the  ovary,  which  can  be  removed  by  tearing  off 
with  the  thumb  and  finger;  the  other  ovary  is  re- 
moved in  like  manner  through  the  same  incision. 

Third. — Through  the  belly.  This  is  used  mostly 
on  bitches.  It  is  also  used  on  sows  and  heifers,  but 
is  not  so  good  as  the  flank  method,  on  account  of 
the  danger  of  a  rupture  following,  and  because  of  the 


190  The    Care    of  Animals 

difficulty  of  making  the  stitches  hold.  The  bitch  is 
confined  by  tying  the  mouth  tightly  with  a  strip  of 
cloth  or  string,  and  an  anesthetic  ximy  be  given.  Ether 
should  be  used,  as  chloroform,  unless  carefully  given, 
may  be  fatal  to  dogs.  The  bitch  is  placed  on  her  back 
on  a  table  and  held  by  two  assistants,  one  taking  the 
fore  and  the  other  taking  the  hind  legs.  The  hair  is 
clipped  off,  antiseptics  used,  and  an  incision  about 
two  inches  long  made  through  the  skin  and  muscles 
on  the  median  line  about  the  center  of  the  belly. 
After  cutting  through  the  muscles,  a  thin,  tough 
membrane  (the  peritoneum)  is  found,  which  can  be  cut 
slightly  with  a  knife  and  then  torn  with  the  fingers, 
so  that  there  will  be  no  danger  of  cutting  the 
intestines.  The  right  index  finger  is  inserted  into  the 
abdominal  cavity  and  the  fallopian  tubes  found  which 
lead  from  the  uterus  to  the  ovaries.  The  tubes  run 
well  forward.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  break 
them,  as  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  find  an  ovary  when 
it  is  not  attached  to  its  tube.  The  ovary  is  carefully 
torn  from  the  fibrous  tissue  that  holds  it  in  place, 
then  it  is  torn  from  the  tube  by  the  thumb  nail. 
The  other  ovary  is  removed  in  the  same  way. 

There  is  no  need  to  remove  the  uterus  or  tubes 
unless  the  animal  is  pregnant.  In  normal  cases  it  is 
not  necessary  to  ligate  anything.  After  i^moving  the 
ovaries,  the  tubes  and  intestines  that  may  have  es- 
caped are  replaced  in  the  cavity  and  two  stitches  taken 
through  the  skin  and  muscles  to  close  the  wound. 
Following  the  operation,  the  dog  should  be  left  to 
herself.    Often  there  is  nausea  and  vomiting  following 


I 


Spaying  191 

the  operation,  but  this  soon  passes  away,  though  the 
animal  may  not  take  food  normally  for  twenty-four  or 
thirty -six  hours.  In  about  four  days,  the  stitches  may 
be  clipped  and  removed. 

In  all  animals  the  ovaries  can  be  distinguished  by 
the  firm,  dense  structure,  wdiich,  if  once  felt,  is  easily 
recognized.  The  ovaries  are  ovoid  in  form  and  varj- 
in  size  from  a  large  hickory-nut,  in  cows  and  mares, 
to  the  size  of  a  pea  in  small  dogs  or  cats.  After  cows 
or  sows  are  spayed  they  should  not  be  turned  with 
males  till  the  wounds  have  healed.  They  should  be 
watched  to  see  that  flies  do  not  attack  the  wound  and 
deposit  eggs,  which  develop  into  loathsome  ■' maggots." 
To  prevent  attacks  by  flies,  tar  daubed  over  the 
wound    is   excellent. 


CHAPTER    IX 

BREEDING    AND    VETERINARY    OBSTETRICS 

Veterinary  obstetrics  deals  with  the  care  of  domes- 
tic animals  during  pregnancy,  the  birth  of  their  young, 
and  the  after-treatment.  There  is  probably  no  phase 
of  veterinary  practice  that  is  so  little  understood  by 
stockmen  generally,  nor  one  in  which  a  little  knowledge 
and  practice  are  productive  of  such  good  results.  In 
cases  of  difficult  labor,  ignorance  and  bad  practice  are 
very  likely  to  bring  about  injury  to  both  dam  and 
offspring. 

The  generative  organs  of  the  female  consist  of  the 
external  part  called  the  vulva;  from  this  a  tube  lined  with 
mucous  membrane,  called  the  vagina,  leads  into  the  in- 
terior of  the  body.  At  the  farther  end  of  the  vagina 
there  is  a  constriction,  and  in  the  center  of  this  a  small 
opening  passes  into  the  uterus,  or  womb.  At  the  farther 
extremity  of  the  womb  two  tubes,  called  fallopian  tubes, 
branch  off,  one  to  the  right  and  the  other  to  the  left. 
At  the  end  of  each  fallopian  tube  is  a  small  round  body 
called  the  ovary,  which  contains  the  ova,  or  egg-cells. 
From  time  to  time,  after  the  animal  is  full  grown,  a 
mature  egg-cell  passes  from  the  ovary  into  the  fallopian 
tube;  if  not  impregnated,  by  coming  in  contact  with  a 
male  cell,  it  passes  out  through  the  uterus  and  vagina 
with  the  mucus  that  is  secreted  from  their  lining  mem- 
Cm) 


Period   of  Heat  193 

brane,  and  dies.  Opening  into  the  vagina  at  its  lower 
surface,  close  to  the  vulva,  is  a  small  tube,  the  urethra, 
which  connects  with  the  bladder,  and  through  which 
the  urine  is  discharged.  This  is  mentioned  particularly 
because,  in  passing  probes  or  other  small  instruments 
into  the  vagina,  they  should  be  directed  toward  the 
upper  part  of  the  vagina,  to  avoid  passing  them  through 
the  urethra  into  the  bladder. 

When  an  ovum,  or  egg,  is  discharged  from  an  ovary 
into  the  fallopian  tube,  it  is  attended  by  certain  symp- 
toms of  nervous  or  sexual  excitement,  and  an  abnormal 
discharge  of  mucus  from  the  vagina.  To  this  period, 
the  term  "heat"  or  "rutting"  is  commonly  applied 
by  stockmen.  During  this  period,  the  female  is  desirous 
of  sexual  intercourse.  If  intercourse  takes  place  and 
conditions  are  favorable,  the  ovum  or  egg  is  fertilized 
by  the  male  cell  and,  instead  of  passing  out  and  dying, 
remains  in  the  uterus,  to  the  wall  of  which  it  becomes 
attached.  It  develops  into  a  young  animal  of  the  same 
species,  except  when  animals  of  different  species  are 
crossed,  in  which  rare  instances  a  hybrid  is  the  result, 
as,  for  example,  the  mule.  The  period  of  heat  varies  in 
different  animals,  about  as  follows: 

Mare Once  in  three  weeks 

Cow Once  in  three  weeks 

Ewe Once  in  sixteen  days 

Sow Once  in  three  weeks 

Bitch Once  in  six  months 

These  dates  refer  to  the  average  time  that  elapses  from 
one  period  of  heat  to  another,  providing  pregnancy 
does  not  occur. 

M 


194  The    Care    of  Animals 

During  the  period  of  heat,  the  milk  secretion,  if 
the  animal  is  giving  milk,  is  usually  lessened.  Sexual 
■excitement  is  exhibited  by  the  female  jumping  upon 
other  animals,  and  appearing  more  or  less  nervous 
and  excited.  The  mucous  discharges  from  the  vagina 
seem  to  have  an  odor  that  is  attractive  to  males  and 
causes  sexual  excitement  in  them. 


STERILITY 

sterility,  or  impotence,  is  inability  of  an  animal  to 
reproduce  its  kind.  In  common  language,  such  an 
animal  is  "a  non- breeder."  In  the  male,  impotence  is 
usually  due  to  an  absence  of  the  spermatozoa,  or  male 
cells.  This  condition  may  be  associated  with  advancing 
age  or  excessive  service  ;  in  some  cases  it  is  a  con- 
genital defect, —  that  is,  a  defect  peculiar  to  the  indi- 
vidual. In  those  males  in  which  the  impotence  is  due 
to  debility,  rest  and  nourishing  food  combined  with 
good  tonic  medicines,  especially  those  which  contain 
nux  vomica,  comprise  the  best  treatment.  There  is  no 
specific  medicine  for  the  treatment  for  this  condition, 
and  all  hope  of  recovery  is  to  be  based  on  strengthen- 
ing and  toning  up  the  whole  system.  In  other  cases, 
impotence  in  the  male  may  result  from  some  malfor- 
mation or  disease  of  the  genital  organs.  A  thorough 
and  careful  examination  should  be  made  in  order  to 
discover  the  cause.  When  there  is  doubt  as  to  the 
cause  of  impotence,  the  male  maj-  be  allowed  sexual 
intercourse  and  some  of  the  spermatic  fluid  collected 
and     examined    under    a    compound     microscope.      If 


sterility  .        195 

spermatozoa  are  present,  they  will  be  observed  as 
small  swiraming  tadpole -like  organisms.  Should  the 
spermatozoa  be  absent,  or  should  the  fresh  speci- 
mens be  inactive,  the  trouble  is  clearly  located  in  the 
spermatic  fluid,  which  is  formed  in  the  testicle.  It 
is  very  rare  for  males  ever  to  recover  their  fertility 
if  the  spermatozoa  are  not  found  in  the  spermatic 
fluid.  Sometimes,  however,  this  absence  is  due  to 
some  temporary  disorder,  which  "  can  be  removed. 
Abnormal  growths  and  diseases  of  the  genital  sj'Stem 
in  the  male  must  be  dealt  with  according  to  circum- 
stances. In  such  cases  it  is  frequently  an  economical 
plan  to  castrate  the  animal  and  fatten  him  for  the 
market. 

Sterility  in  the  female  may  be  due  to  an  absence, 
or  to  an  abnormal  condition,  of  the  ovum,  or  egg, 
which  develops  in  the  ovary  and  is  discharged  into 
the  uterus  or  womb  periodically  at  the  time  of  "heat." 
These  conditions  are  not  frequent,  however,  as  those 
animals  which  come  in  heat  regularly  and  with  the 
normal  symptoms  are  usually  fertile,  so  far  as  the 
egg  is  concerned.  It  is  difficult  to  determine  when 
sterility  is  due  to  an  absence,  or  to  sterilitj^  of  the 
egg -cell. 

Another  cause  of  sterility  in  the  female  is  an  altered 
secretion  of  the  mucous  membrane  which  lines  the 
genital  organs.  If  this  secretion  be  acid  in  reaction, 
it  is  fatal  to  the  male  cells,  or  spermatozoa.  The 
mucous  membrane  may  be  diseased,  and  this  condition 
ma}'  cause  sterility.  In  some  animals,  especially  cows, 
there  is  often  observed  a  disease,  known  as  nymphomania, 


196  The    Care    of  Animals 

which  is  an  abnormal  sexual  excitement.  The  animal 
being  in  heat  very  frequently,  or  continuously,  will 
take  service  by  a  bull,  but  will  rarely  become  preg- 
nant. Unless  the  cause  of  the  sexual  excitement  can 
be  located  and  removed  (which  is  seldom),  the  best 
treatment  is  to  spay  the  animal  and  fatten  her  for  the 
market. 

Nervous,  vicious  animals  are  not  so  likely  to  breed 
as  those  of  a  mil'der  temperament.  Aged  animals, 
especially  mares,  that  have  not  been  bred  for  some 
time,  are  extremely  difficult  to  impregnate.  This  is 
well  illustrated  by  the  difficulty  experienced  in  breed- 
ing mares  that  have  been  used  for  racing  until  they 
are  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  and  are  then  retired  for 
breeding  purposes.  A  large  percentage  of  them  fail 
to  become  pregnant.  Mares  that  have  been  bred 
frequently  often  will  continue  to  breed  after  they  are 
twenty  years  of  age.  Fat  animals  are  seldom  good 
breeders,  and  it  is  often  difficult  to  impregnate  them. 
Animals  intended  for  breeding  should  be  in  very 
moderate  flesh.  Active  exercise,  just  before  the  ani- 
mal is  fed,  is  conducive  to  fertilization. 

In  the  large  animals,  such  as  the  mare  and  the  cow, 
it  is  usually  an  excellent  plan,  when  there  is  difficulty 
in  getting  them  to  breed,  to  "open  the  womb."  This 
is  done  by  inserting  the  oiled  hand  and  arm  into  the 
vagina,  finding  the  opening  into  the  womb,  and  grad- 
ually dilating  it  by  inserting  one  or  more  fingers, 
until  the  passage  is  considerably  enlarged.  A  sponge 
tent  can  also  be  inserted,  which  absorbs  moisture, 
swells,  and  automatically  dilates  the  passage.     In  some 


sterility  197 

cases  it  mQ.y  be  necessary  to  make  a  small  incision 
ill  order  to  dilate  the  opening.  It  is  probable  that 
mechanical  manipulation  of  the  parts,  aside  from  the 
mere  dilation  of  the  passage,  is  conducive  to  fertili- 
zation, hy  increasing  the  blood  supply  to  the  part. 
There  are  some  mechanical  contrivances,  now  on  the 
market,  which  are  useful  in  dilating  the  mouth  of  the 
womb,  and  increasing  the  probability  of  pregnancy, 
especially  in  mares. 

Females  that  have  aborted  are  not  so  likely  to 
breed,  especially  when  the  abortion  has  been  due  to 
contagion.  Tumors,  malformations,  or  diseased  con- 
ditions of  the  genital  organs  in  females,  are  frequent 
causes  of  sterility.  In  mares  that  have  been  bred, 
there  is  sometimes  an  opening  from  the  vagina  into 
the  rectum,  through  which  pieces  of  dung  often  pass 
and  escape  from  the  vulva.  This  opening  usually 
results  from  injury  to  the  part  while  foaling.  Such 
mares  do  not  breed  readily  and  are  liable  to  injury 
in  foaling  afterward.  In  many  cases  this  opening 
between  the  rectum  and  the  vagina  can  be  closed  hy  a 
good  surgeon  and  the  mare  become  as  valuable  as 
ever  for  breeding  purposes.  Excessive  sexual  inter- 
course in  all  animals  tends  to  lessen  the  fertility  of 
the  animal. 

Breeding  very  young  animals  is  likely  to  stunt  the 
growth  of  females  and  to  impair  the  vigor  of  the 
reproductive  s^'stem  in  males.  Stallions  should  not 
be  used  for  breeding  purposes  until  three  years  old, 
and  should  be  limited  to  fifteen  or  twenty  mares  the 
first  season,  and   not  used  very  frequently  even  then. 


198  The    Care    of  Animals 

Bulls  may  be  used  for  breeding  at  two  years  old,  but 
should  be  limited  to  fifteen  or  twenty  cows.  A  judi- 
cious use  of  young  breeding  males  will  greatly  prolong 
their  vigor  and  fertility. 

SIGNS    OF    PREGNANCY 

It  is  often  important  to  determine  whether  a  female 
is  pregnant,  as  the  value  of  the  animal  may  be  enhanced 
or  lessened  by  such  a  condition.  In  its  early  stages, 
pregnancy  is  difficult  to  recognize.  One  of  the  first 
signs  is  the  absence  of  the  usual  period  of  heat,  or 
rutting,  although  in  some  cases  a  pregnant  animal 
will  take  service  by  the  male.  Service  is  usually  re- 
sented by  the  female.  There  is  a  tendency  for  the 
animal  to  be  more  quiet  than  usual,  and  to  take  on 
fat  more  readily.  This  fact  is  sometimes  taken  advan- 
tage of  by  unscrupulous  persons  who  breed  animals, 
when  beginning  to  fatten  them  for  the  market.  In 
some  cases,  a  pregnant  female  becomes  more  cross 
toward  other  animals  and  will  drive  them  away.  As 
pregnancy  advances,  the  belly  becomes  more  pendulous 
and  movements  of  the  fetus  (the  young  animal  in  the 
womb)  become  apparent,  especially  after  the  animal 
has  taken  a  drink  of  cold  water.  These  are  peculiar 
jerking  or  kicking  movements,  and  are  observed  in 
the  region  of  the  dam's  flank,  particularly  on  the  right 
side.  They  can  often  be  felt  by  placing  the  hand  firmly 
against  the  fiank.  In  cows,  as  pregnancy  advances, 
there  is  often  a  small  rope  of  mucus,  called  by  cattle- 
men a  "tag,"  hanging  from  the  vulva.     In"  large  ani- 


Pregnancy  199 

mals,  as  cows  and  mares,  pregnancy  can  sometimes  be 
detected  by  a  physical  examination.  The  rectnm  is 
emptied,  two  assistants  pass  a  folded  blanket  nnder 
the  animal's  belly  and  lift  np,  while  the  operator, 
his  hand  and  arm  oiled  and  inserted  into  the  rectum, 
feels  for  the  uterus,  which  lies  just  beneath  the 
rectum.  When  the  uterus  is  found,  a  quick  push 
downward  is  given  with  the  flat  hand,  and  the  hand 
held  quietly  in  position.  If  the  animal  is  pregnant, 
the  small  fetus  will  be  felt  as  it  bobs  back  against 
the  hand,  like  a  cork  floating  in  water.  The  preg- 
nant uterus  felt  in  this  manner  is  much  larger  than 
the  normal  uterus,  and  it  lies  about  half  an  arm's 
length  from  the  vulva.  Sometimes  animals,  par- 
ticularly mares,  show  few  if  any  signs  of  pregnancy 
until  they  surprise  their  owners  with  their  living 
young. 

Pregnant  animals  should  be  kept  in  fair  flesh,  not 
very  fat  nor  very  thin.  They  should  have  plenty  of 
exercise,  and  laxative,  but  not  too  bulky  food.  Harsh 
treatment,  excitement  and  violent  exercise  should  be 
avoided,  such  as  fast  driving,  heavy  pulling,  wallow- 
ing in  snow-drifts  or  mire,  slipping  on  ice,  crowding 
through  narrow  doorways,  kicks,  blows  or  sudden 
jumps  from  the  use  of  the  whip.  During  the  later 
stages  of  pregnancy,  strong  medicines,  especially  vio- 
lent purgatives,  should  not  be  given. 

The  period  of  gestation,  or  pregnancy, — that  is,  the 
time  which  elapses  between  the  fertilization  of  the  egg 
and  the  birth  of  the  young, — varies  in  different  animals 
as  follows  : 


200  The    Care    of  Animals 

Mare about  344  days,  or  eleven  months 

Cow about  280  days,  or  nine  months 

Ewe about  152  days,  or  five  months 

Sow      about  112  days,  or  three  and  a  lialf  months 

Bitch about  63  days,  or  two  months 

Pregnant  animals  frequently  give  birth  to  their  young 
sooner  than  the  period  indicated.  If  the  young  animal 
is  sufficiently  developed  to  live,  it  is  usually  called  a 
premature  birth  ;  if  the  fetus  is  not  sufficiently  devel- 
oped to  live,  it  is  called  an  abortion.  Pregnant  animals 
may  also  carry  their  young  longer  than  the  period 
indicated. 

SIGNS    OF    PARTURITION,    OR    APPROACHING     BIRTH 

At  the  close  of  the  period  of  gestation,  signs  of 
approaching  parturition  usually  appear.  The  mammary 
glands  become  distended,  the  vulva  enlarges,  and  the 
mucous  membranes  lining  the  vagina  become  congested 
and  red.  In  cows,  the  hip  bones  tip  forward  a  little, 
and  a  small  depression  on  each  side  of  the  root  of  the 
tail  appears  more  marked.  The  cow  is  commonly  said 
to  be  "down  in  her  hips."  In  mares,  a  waxy  secretion 
often  appears  on  the  ends  of  the  teats.  There  is  a 
tendency  for  the  animal  to  isolate  herself  from  others, 
and  to  hide  away.  As  parturition  approaches  she  be- 
comes somewhat  nervous,  stepping  about  uneasily,  the 
uneasiness  increasing  until  labor-pains  set  in. 

Parturition  is  the  birth,  or  expulsion,  of  the  young 
from  the  womb.  The  mouth  of  the  womb  dilates,  the 
vagina  and  vulva  enlarge,  the  membranes  that  surround 


Parturition  201 

the  fetus  in  the  womb,  coininooly  called  the  "water 
bags,"  pass  out  through  the  vagina,  followed  by  the 
young  animal;  and,  last  of  all,  the  remaining  mem- 
brane, or   "after-birth,"  is  expelled. 

Animals  about  to  give  birth  to  young  should  be 
placed  in  dry,  comfortable  quarters,  with  a  moderate 
quantity  of  fine  litter  for  bedding.  If  too  much  bedding 
is  supplied  the  animal  may  paw  it  into  a  bunch  and  in 
lying  down  or  rolling,  as  it  frequently  does,  may  become 
"cast," — that  is,  get  into  a  position  from  which  it  is 
unable  to  rise  without  assistance.  Or,  if  the  young  are 
small,  the  mother  may  lie  upon  them  or  injure  them  if 
they  are  covered  by  much  bedding.  Sows,  in  farrowing, 
often  lie  upon  the  pigs  and  kill  or  injure  them,  espe- 
cially w^hen  the  pigs  are  crowded  against  a  wall.  To 
prevent  this,  a  piece  of  plank  two  inches  high  may  be 
spiked  to  the  floor,  two  or  three  inches  from  the  wall  ; 
or  short  pieces  of  board  about  a  foot  long  may  be  nailed 
to  the  floor  and  wall,  the  bottom  of  the  board  being 
placed  three  or  four  inches  from  the  wall.  These  pieces 
should  be  nailed  about  eighteen  inches  apart.  After 
the  animal  is  made  comfortable  in  quarters  where  she 
is  not  liable  to  injure  either  herself  or  her  young,  she 
should  be  undisturbed,  but  a  close  watch  should  be 
kept  to  see  that  labor  is  proceeding  normally,  and  that 
everything  is  going  as  it  should. 

Labor -pains  are  muscular  efforts  of  the  mother  to 
expel  the  fetus.  The  muscular  walls  of  the  uterus,  or 
womb,  contract  at  the  time  the  animal  strains,  and 
thus  the  fetus  is  gradually  forced  out  through  the 
vagina.     At  first  the  labor -pains  are  slight  and  infre- 


202  The    Care    of  Animals 

quent,    but,    as    parturition    progresses,    they    become 
frequent  and  more  violent. 

The  normal  position  for  young  animals  to  be  born 
is  with  the  front  feet  and  head  foremost.  This  is  the 
best  and  easiest  position,  as  the  head  and  fore  legs  act 
as  a  wedge  and  gradually  dilate  the  passage.  Young 
animals  are  frequently  born  with  the  hind  legs  foremost. 
No  attempt  should  be  made  to  turn  them,  as  they  are 
usually  born  without  much  difficulty,  and  seldom  need 
assistance  in  this  position.  It  is  better  that  labor 
should  proceed  slowly,  in  order  that  the  passages  may 
gradually  dilate  and  adjust  themselves  to  the  fetus  and 
thus  avoid  injuring  the  soft  tissues. 

DYSTOKIA 

Dystokia,  or  difficult  labor,  a  condition  in  which 
assistance  is  needed  in  order  to  deliver  the  young 
animal,  is  rather  frequent.  It  may  be  due  to  an  ab- 
normal position  of  the  fetus,  a  very  large  fetus,  a 
small  passage  in  the  dam,  or  to  some  malformation, 
either  of  the  fetus  or  of  the  dam.  When  an  animal  has 
been  in  labor  for  an  hour  or  two,  when  the  labor- 
pains  are  strong  and  frequent  and  no  progress  is 
made  in  the  birth  of  the  young,  the  probability  is 
that  something  is  wrong,  and  attention  to  the  case 
is  demanded.  The  chances  of  success  are  much  greater 
when  the  case  is  taken  earl}^  before  the  mother  is 
exhausted  from  severe  straining,  and  before  the  water 
bags  are  ruptured  and  the  lubricating  fluids  allowed  to 
escape  and  the  parts  to  become  dry  and  swollen. 


DystoJcia  203 

Difficult  labor  is  more  easily  treated  in  cows  than 
in  mares,  and  the  results  are  better.  In  treating  dys- 
tokia,  the  animal,  if  large,  should  be  kept  in  the  stand- 
ing position,  if  possible,  as  it  is  easier  to  handle  and 
better  results  follow.  In  many  cases  the  animal  will  not 
stand.  The  operator  should  be  clad  in  sleeveless  cloth- 
ing that  will  not  be  injured  by  being  soiled.  The 
arms  should  be  rubbed  with  carbolized  oil,  one  part  of 
carbolic  acid  to  thirty  parts  of  oil;  lacking  this,  any 
clean  oil  will  do,  or  soap  and  water  may  be  used. 
The  first  thing  to  be  determined  is  the  position  of 
the  fetus,  called  the  "presentation."  The  case  may  be 
a  normal  presentation,  a  hind-leg  presentation,  etc. 
After  determining  this  point,  the  'fetus  should  be 
gotten  into  the  normal  presentation,  if  possible.  If 
this  is  not  feasible,  a  hind -leg  presentation  should  be 
secured.  Failing  in  both  of  these,  it  is  usually  neces- 
sary to  resort  to  embryotomy,  that  is,  to  cut  the 
fetus  up  and  take  it  away  in  pieces.  It  is  impossible 
to  turn  a  fetus  of  any  reasonable  size  end  for  end 
in  the  uterus.  One  of  the  most  frequent  abnormal 
positions  is  with  the  head  and  fore  leg  presented  and 
one  fore  leg  doubled  back.  In  this  case,  double  a 
piece  of  rope  and  loop  it  around  the  fore  leg,  and 
another  around  the  head;  then  push  the  fetus  back 
into  the  uterus,  and  bring  forward  the  fore  leg  that  is 
doubled  back,  thus  securing  a  normal  position.  In  most 
cases  of  dystokia,  smooth  pieces  of  small  rope,  six  to 
eight  feet  long,  are  all  that  is  needed.  Cotton  sash 
cord  is  excellent. 

When  both  fore  legs  are  doubled  back  and  the  head 


204  The    Care    of  Animals 

is  presented,  the  latter  should  be  secured  by  a  rope, 
the  fetus  pushed  back,  and  the  legs  secured  and 
brought  forward.  In  case  the  fetus  is  dead,  and  the 
head  is  badly  swollen,  so  that  it  cannot  be  pushed 
back,  the  head  can  be  amputated  after  the  neck  is 
firmly  secured  by  a  rope.  When  the  fetus  is  presented 
with  the  hind  parts  first,  both  hind  legs  are  to  be 
secured  and  the  delivery  made  in  that  position.  When 
both  hind  legs  are  doubled  back  it  is  called  a  "breech" 
presentation;  this,  and  a  back  presentation  are  usually 
3'ery  difficult  to  deliver.  A  fetus  may  be  presented 
in  a  score  of  different  positions,  some  of  them  requiring 
ingenuity  and  skill  to  handle,  together  with 
careful  study  of  conditions. 

In  small  animals,  when  the  vagina  is  too 
small  to  admit  the  hand,  a  piece  of  wire  can 
be  doubled  and  the  ends  passed  through  a  small 
tube,  thus  forming  a  loop  (Fig.  40).  This  can 
be  slipped  over  a  leg  or  the  head  of  the  fetus, 
the  tube  pushed  up  to  hold  it,  and  the  fetus 
secured.  Excellent  forceps  are  made  for  this 
purpose.  In  case  the  fetus  is  deformed  or  is  a 
monstrosity,  it  should  be  dealt  with  as  the  spe- 
'*  cial  case  seems  to  warrant. 
L^lfpfor  When    the    head    is    greatly   distended   with 

"■Tmln^  "water  on  the  brain"  (Fig.  41),  a  small  incision 
animals.  ^ijj.o^gi^  ^hc  top  of  the  head  will  allow  the  fluid 
to  escape,  and  the  delivery  will  be  easily  accomplished. 

When  the  fetus  cannot  be  secured  in  any  other 
manner,  it  is  necessary  to  perform  embryotomy.  Special 
knives   made   for  this    purpose   are  a  great  advantage. 


DystoJcia 


205 


but  a  common  pocket-knife  can  be  used,  by  winding 
the  lower  half  of  the  blade  with  a  string;  the  point 
of  the  blade  can  be  used  for  cutting,  and  when 
inserting  the  knife  into 
the  womb  the  blade  can 
be  protected  by  the 
hand,  so  that  it  will  not 
injure  the  mother.  Em- 
bryotomy is  a  hard,  and 
often  a  difficult  task  to 
perform,  but  in  many 
cases  it  is  the  only  hope 
of  saving  the  dam.  In 
treating  cases  of  diffi- 
cult labor,  the  following 
directions  should  be  ob- 
served :  Be  sure  to  get 
the  fetus  in  a  good  position,  either  with  the  head  and 
fore  legs  in  the  passage,  or  the  hind  legs,  before  attempt- 
ing to  use  force  in  taking  it  away.  After  getting  the 
fetus  straight,  use  gentle  traction,  pulling  in  a  down- 
ward direction.  The  amount  of  force  that  one  person 
can  exert  is  usually  sufficient;  in  some  cases  more  may 
be  emploj'ed,  but  the  practice  of  tearing  the  fetus  away 
is  cruel  and  should  not  be  allowed.  Avoid  injuring 
the  mother  by  bruising,  tearing  or  cutting  the  tissues, 
as  inflammation  and  blood  -  poisoning  may  follow. 
Sometimes  the  dam  continues  to  strain  after  the  young 
animal  is  born;  a  small  rope  tied  tightly  around  the 
body,  just  in  front  of  the  hind  legs,  will  usually  stop 
this.     In   mares,  the   foal   is   sometimes   too  weak   to 


Fig.  41.     Head  of  foal  with  "water  ou 
the  brain." 


206  The    Care   of  Animals 

rupture  the  membranes  in  which  it  may  be  enveloped 
when  it  is  born  ;  thus  it  is  likely  to  suffocate  if  an 
attendant  is   not   at   hand. 

The  young  animal  should  be  made  comfortable 
and  left  with  the  mother,  unless  there  is  danger 
of  its  being  injured.  Sows  sometimes  eat  their 
young  pigs.  In  such  cases  the  pigs  should  be 
taken  away  for  a  short  time,  and  the  sow  well  fed. 
The  pigs,  before  returning  to  the  mother,  may  be 
rubbed  with  some  disagreeable  substance,  such  as  a 
weak  solution  of  aloes;  sometimes  a  piece  of  raw 
onion  rubbed  over  the  little  pigs  will  answer  the  same 
purpose.  When  there  is  an  abnormal  discharge  from 
the  vagina  following  parturition,  the  uterus  should 
be  washed  out  with  warm  water,  and  a  weak  solution 
of  carbolic  acid,  one  part  carbolic  acid  to  forty  parts 
of  water,  or  a  solution  of  creolin,  one  part  to  one 
hundred  parts  of  water.     This  may  be  used  daily. 

REMOVING     THE     PLACENTA 

In  nearl}^  all  animals,  with  the  exception  of  the 
cow,  the  placenta,  or  after -birth,  comes  away  when 
the  young  animal  is  born.  In  the  cow,  it  frequently 
remains  attached  to  the  walls  of  the  uterus.  When 
it  is  not  removed,  it  decomposes  and  is  discharged 
as  a  yellow  or  reddish  fluid,  having  an  extremely 
offensive  odor.  The  discharge  is  most  apparent 
when  the  cow  is  lying  down  or  when  she  endeavors  to 
pass  urine.  The  tail  and  parts  about  the  vulva  are 
soiled    by   the   fluid,   which    often    contaijis    lumps    of 


I 


Removing    the    Placenta  207 

decomposing  material.  The  cow  falls  avva}^  in  flesh, 
the  milk  flow  is  lessened  and  the  animal  presents  a 
general  unthrifty  appearance.  The  placenta  should 
not  be  left  longer  than  the  third  day.  To  remove  it, 
the  cow  should  be  confined  by  the  head  and  an 
assistant  should  hold  the  tail  to  one  side.  It  is  a 
good  plan  to  wind  the  free  portion  of  the  placenta 
upon  a  small  stick,  and  roll  the  stick  up  until  it 
reaches  the  vulva.  The  right  hand  and  arm  of  the 
operator,  well  covered  with  carbolized  oil,  should  be 
inserted  into  the  uterus,  following  the  placenta  (Avhich 
is  easily  distinguished  from  the  surrounding  tissues) 
by  rolling  the  stick  which  is  held  in  the  left  hand. 
The  attachments  of  the  placenta  to  the  walls  of  the 
uterus  can  be  worked  loose  with  the  fingers  of  the 
right  hand  and  the  whole  membrane  removed. 

EVERSION   OF   THE    UTERUS 

This  condition  is  commonly  called  "casting  the 
weathers,"  and  is  most  frequently  seen  in  the  cow.  It 
occurs  after  calving,  especially  when  there  has  been 
difficult  labor  and  much  irritation  of  the  part.  After 
the  calf  is  born  the  cow  continues  to  strain  until  the 
uterus  is  forced  out  and  hangs  in  a  large  mass  from  the 
vulva. 

The  displaced  uterus  should  be  carefully  washed 
with  warm  w^ater,  containing  a  small  amount  of  carbolic 
acid  or  other  antiseptic,  and  then  carefully  pushed  back 
into  place.  The  animal  will  strain  while  this  is  being 
done,  but  it  is  to  be  firmly  held  until  the  straining  is 


208  The    Care    of  Animals 

over  In  replacing  an  everted  uterus,  the  closed  fist 
should  be  placed  beneath  the  mass,  and  graduallj^  pushed 
up  into  the  vagina.  This  returns  the  parts  to  their 
normal  positions. 

Taking  about  four  stitches  through  the  lips  of  the 
vulva  will  hold  the  uterus  in  place.  The  stitches  can 
be  left  for  twenty -four  to  thirty -six  hours,  or  until  all 
straining  is  stopped.  In  some  cases  a  truss,  made  of 
rope,  can  be  arranged  so  that  it  will  cover  the  vagina; 
it  is  held  in  place  by  tying  to  a  band  around  the  body. 
A  pessary  is  also  used, —  a  small  smooth  stick,  such  as 
the  end  of  a  fork  handle,  is  cut  off  about  three  feet 
long,  and  a  hole  is  bored  through  the  cut  end.  After 
the  uterus  is  replaced,  the  smooth  end  is  inserted 
and  the  stick  is  held  in  place  by  a  small  rope  passed 
through  the  hole  in  the  end  and  tied  to  the  band 
around  the  body.  A  small  rope  tied  tightly  around 
the  body  just  back  of  the  front  legs,  and  another  just 
forward  of  the  hind  legs,  usually  will  keep  the  cow 
from  straining. 

A  cow  that  has  everted  the  uterus  once  is  likely  to 
do  so  the  next  time  she  calves.  In  purchasing  cows,  the 
vulva  should  be  examined  to  see  whether  there  are 
scars  of  stitches  where  it  has  been  sewed  up.  When 
there  is  a  tendency  toward  e version,  there  is  likelj^  to 
be  protrusion  of  the  vagina  previous  to  calving.  A 
reddish  mass  is  noticed  to  protrude  when  the  cow  is 
lying  down.  To  remedy  this  condition,  the  vagina 
should  be  replaced  and  the  hind  quarters  of  the  cow 
elevated  by  raising  the  rear  of  the  stall,  say,  five  or  six 
inches. 


Abnormal    Milk  209 


ALTERED    MILK    SECRETION 


After  an  animal  has  given  birth  to  young,  if  there  is 
a  scant  secretion  of  milk  she  should  be  given  plenty  of 
waterj-  food,  especially  bran  mashes,  as  these  tend  to 
increase  the  milk  flow  and  they  have  a  laxative  effect 
on  the  bowels.  When  the  udder  is  swollen  or  inflamed, 
soft  watery  foods  should  not  be  given. 

The  milk  may  be  abnormal  or  altered  in  any  one  of 
several  particulars.  In  some  cases  there  is  little  or  no 
fat  in  the  milk.  This  may  be  habitual  to  the  animal  or 
it  may  be  caused  by  improper  food,  especially  by  foods 
which  are  poor  in  nourishing  materials,  such  as  bad  hay 
or  corn-stalks,  and  such  foods  as  swill  or  refuse  of  any 
kind.  In  treating  this  condition,  a  careful  examination 
should  be  made  for  disease  of  any  kind  that  would 
interfere  with  the  health  of  the  animal;  the  food  sup- 
plied should  be  rich  and  easily  digested.  If  the  condi- 
tion is  natural  to  the  cow,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  fatten 
her  for  the  market. 

Bloody  milk  is  frequently  seen,  especially  soon  after 
calving.  This  is  the  result  of  a  rupture  of  some  of  the 
small  blood-vessels  that  surround  the  secreting  cells, 
or  it  may  be  due  to  a  local  injury  or  to  a  diseased  con- 
dition of  the  udder,  such  as  might  result  from  a  tumor 
or  tuberculosis  in  this  gland.  In  the  treatment,  condi- 
tions responsible  for  the  disease  should  be  looked  foi*, 
and,  if  possible,  removed.  Bathing  the  udder  with  hot 
water  and  milking  frequently  give  good  results. 

Blue,  bitter,  "slippery"  or  putrid  milk,  is  caused  by 
the  presence  of  germs  which  have  gained  entrance  to 


210  Thf    Care    of  Animals 

the  udder.  The  disease  can  be  treated  by  milking  the 
gland  clean  frequently  and  injecting  a  solution  of  boric 
acid,  about  ten  grains  to  the  ounce  of  water.  The 
solution  can  be  injected  by  using  a  milking  tube — a 
rubber  tube  and  funnel.  This  solution  can  be  used 
twice  daily,   after  milking. 

Bad  odors  in  milk  often  come  from  strong  or  bad 
odors  about  the  stable.  The  source  of  the  taint  should 
be  removed  and  the  milk  well  aerated. 

MAMMITIS 

Mammitis  is  inflammation  of  the  mammary  gland  or 
udder.  It  is  called  "caked  bag"  and  "garget."  The 
term  garget  is  usually  applied  to  those  cases  in  which 
the  milk  secretion  is  altered  and  appears  as  a  thick  or 
stringy  fluid. 

Inflammation  of  the  mammary  gland  usually  occurs 
soon  after  the  young  is  born,  when  the  gland  is  ac- 
tive and  congested  with  blood.  Inflammation  may  be 
set  up  by  irritation  of  any  kind, —  injuries,  such  as 
kicks  or  blows,  or  another  animal  stepping  on  the 
udder,  the  retention  of  milk  too  long  without  being 
drawn,  and  especially  by  germs  entering  the  udder. 

In  many  cases  of  mammitis  the  gland  is  hard,  swollen 
and  tender,  often  "pitting"  on  pressure;  the  milk 
secretion  is  altered,  often  thick  or  stringy,  or  sometimes 
is  only  a  watery  fluid.  In  most  cases  the  flow  is  greatly 
lessened.  As  the  disease  is  most  frequently  seen  in 
cows,  the  description  will  be  applied  to  them.  The  cow 
is  often  uneasy  with  the  pain.     In  severe  cases  the  milk 


Garget  211 

secretion  is  stopped  in  one  quarter  or  in  all  of  the  udder. 
In  very  bad  cases  a  part  of  the  udder  may  die  and 
slough  off.  In  cases  in  which  the  secretion  is  stopped 
it  may  return  at  the  next  period  of  lactation. 

In  treatment,  the  milk  should  be  drawn  frequently 
and  the  udder  gently  but  thoroughly  rubbed.  Bathe 
with  hot  water  for  twenty  minutes  at  a  time,  rub  dry, 
and  applj^  an  ointment  made  by  dissolving  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  gum  camphor  in  a  teacupful  of  melted 
fresh  lard.  An  ounce  of  fluid  extract  of  belladonna 
added  is  an  improvement.  The  gland  should  be  bathed 
three  times  daily,  and  the  ointment  well  rubbed  in. 
If  the  udder  is  large  and  pendulous,  supporting  it  with 
a  wide  piece  of  cloth  with  holes  cut  for  the  teats,  gives 
relief.  A  poultice  of  spent  hops  or  similar  light 
material   applied  inside  of  the  cloth  is  excellent. 

A  form  of  inflammation  of  the  udder  that  is  prev- 
alent in  some  localities  starts  with  a  small  sore  at 
the  opening  of  the  milk -duct.  This  causes  the  cow 
to  milk  hard,  and  a  milking  tube  is  resorted  to,  which 
usually  carries  the  germs  from  the  sore  up  into  the 
udder  and  causes  much  difficulty.  When  these  small 
scabby  sores  first  appear  they  should  be  treated  with 
white  lotion,  and  lard  or  vaseline  applied  to  keep  the 
part  soft.  As  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  opening 
to  close  and  heal  over,  a  small,  smooth,  hard-wood 
plug  should  be  inserted  in  the  end  of  the  milk -duct 
after  each  milking.  The  plug  should  be  well  greased 
with  vaseline  or  fresh  lard. 

In  cases  in  which  mammitis  is  due  to  invasion  of  the 
gland    by   bacteria,    a   solution    of   carbolic    acid,    one 


212  The    Care    of  Animals 

part  to  fifty  parts  of  boiled  water,  should  be  injected 
into  the  udder  through  the  milk -duct  with  the  appa- 
ratus used  for  the  treatment  of  milk  fever.  After  the 
solution  has  acted  for  a  few  minutes,  it  should  be 
milked  out.  The  external  treatment  for  such  a  case 
is  the   same  as  directed  for  an   ordinary  case. 

Milking  tubes  are  valuable  instruments  when  used 
with  care  and  good  judgment,  but  their  indiscriminate 
use  is  often  the  source  of  much  harm.  Before  using 
them,  both  the  tubes  and  the  teats  should  be  care- 
fully disinfected. 

MILK    FEVER 

The  term  "milk  fever"  is  not  the  correct  name  to 
apply  to  this  disease,  as  there  is  rarely  any  fever 
associated  with  it;  in  fact,  the  temperature  is  usually 
below  normal.  "Parturient  apoplexy"  is  a  much  more 
appropriate  term;  but  the  name  commonly  used  to 
designate  this  disease  will  be  used  here.  ' 

Milk  fever  attacks  dairy  cows  soon  after  calving, 
usually  within  a  few  days  after,  but  always  within 
ten  days.  The  best  and  heaviest  milkers  are  most 
subject  to  the  disease.  In  most  cases  the  cow  is  down, 
or  partially  unconscious,  with  the  disease  when  first 
noticed.  If  the  attack  is  gradual,  the  first  symptom 
is  uneasiness, — the  cow  is  dull,  the  appetite  gone,  and 
the  milk  secretion  lessened  or  stopped.  If  the  cow 
is  forced  to  walk  there  is  a  peculiar  paddling  gait, 
and  a  vacant  stare  from  the  eyes.  These  symptoms 
increase  until    the  cow,  unable  to  stand,  falls  or  lies 


Milk    Fever 


213 


down.  The  nose  is  usually  turned  toward  the  flank. 
In  severe  cases  the  cow  is  totally  unconscious,  and 
in  most  cases  is  only  partially  conscious.  Often  there 
is  a  slight  moan  wdth  the  breathing,  due  to  the  stupor. 
There  may  be  some  excitement  in  the  early  stages  of 
the  disease. 

The  cow  should  be  made  as  comfortable  as  possible 
and  kept  propped  up  on  her  brisket,  with  the  head 
elevated.  If  she  can  swallow,  a  small  dose  of  three- 
fourths  of  a  pound  of  Epsom  salts  should  be  given  as 
a  drench.  Great  care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  chok- 
ing, as  she  is  often  unable  to  swallow  prop- 
erly, and  medicine  getting  into  the  lungs  is 
liable  to  choke  her  to  death  or  to  set  up 
pneumonia  that  will  prove  fatal.  The  most 
satisfactory  method  is  the  Schmidt  treatment. 
This  consists  in  injecting  into  the  udder  a 
solution  of  three  drams  of  iodide  of  potash 
dissolved  in  one  quart  of  clean  boiled  water. 
The  milk  is  first  stripped  from  the  udder  and 
the  solution  injected  by  means  of  a  small 
rubber  tube  about  three  feet  long,  in  one 
end  of  which  is  inserted  a  milking  tube,  and 
in  the  other  a  small  funnel.  Fig.  42.  The 
milking  tube  is  inserted  into  the  milk -duct, 
the  funnel  held  as  high  as  the  tube  wdll  al- 
low, and  the  solution  poured  in.  As  much 
of  the  solution  as  possible  is  injected  into  Schmidt 
each  quarter  by  working  and  manipulat-  apparatus, 
ing  the  udder.  In  many  cases  it  is  impossible  to 
get  more  than  a  pint  into  the  udder  at  once.     If  no 


214  Tlip    Care    of  Animals 

marked  improvement  sets  in,  the  injection  may  be 
repeated  once  after  eight  or  ten  hours.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  dash  cold  water  over  the  cow,  wetting  her  to 
the  skin,  and  have  two  persons  rub  her  vigorously 
for  twenty  minutes  till  she  is  thoroughly  dry,  and 
then  blanket  her  warmlj' .  Cloths  wet  with  cold  water 
or  a  bag  filled  with  crushed  ice  should  be  applied 
to  the  head.  An  enema  of  warm  water  to  empty 
the  bowels  is  excellent.  If  the  cow  can  swallow  with- 
out danger,  stimulants  can  be  given.  Essence  of 
Jamaica  ginger,  in  two -ounce  doses,  may  be  given 
every  two  hours,  or  whisky  in  four -ounce  doses. 
Both  should  be  diluted  in  a  pint  of  rather  hot  water. 
It  is  a  good  plan  to  milk  the  cow  frequently,  and  to 
bathe  the  udder  with  hot  water,  rubbing  it  well.  If 
the  cow  can  eat,  soft  mashes,  gruels,  or  other  laxative, 
easily  digested  foods,  can  be  given.  Cool  water  can 
be  offered  frequently  and  .  in  small  amounts  until  her 
thirst  is  satisfied. 

The  iodide  of  potash,  or  Schmidt  treatment,  has 
reduced  the  rate  of  mortality  in  this  disease  nearly 
one-half.  It  is  difficult  to  tell  by  the  symptoms  whether 
a  cow  is  going  to  recover  or  not.  Cows  having  the 
disease  in  apparently  the  worst  form  often  make  sur- 
prising recoveries,  and  mild  cases  sometimes  die  without 
any  apparent  reason. 

It  sometimes  occurs  that  a  cow  recovers  from  milk 
fever  but  dies  from  pneumonia,  caused  by  food  or 
medicine  getting  into  the  lungs.  It  is  probable  that 
most  cases  will  do  better  when  no  attempt  is  made  to 
give  medicines  by  the  mouth. 


The    Young  215 

CARING    FOR     THE    YOUNG,    AND     WEANING 

Young  animals  should  always  be  allowed  to  have 
the  first  milk,  or  colostrum,  as  this  has  a  laxative  effect 
upon  the  bowels  and  assists  in  the  removal  of  the 
waste  material  which  has  collected  before  birth.  When 
this  is  wanting,  a  dose  of  castor -oil  in  warm  milk 
should  be  given.  When  it  is  necessary  to  wean 
young  animals,  they  should  be  placed  in  secure  quar- 
ters where  there  is  no  danger  of  injury,  and  far 
enough  away  from  the  dam  so  that  their  cries  may 
not  be  heard.  They  should  be  taught  to  eat  food 
before  weaning.  This  can  be  done  in  most  cases  by 
placing  the  feed-trough  or  box  low  enough  so  that 
they  may  eat  with  the  mother.  It  is  seldom  advisable 
to  feed  a  large  number  of  young  animals  in  common, 
as  the  stronger  tend  to  gorge  themselves  and  to  prevent 
the  weaker  from  getting  food.  After  weaning,  young 
animals  should  be  fed  frequently,  a  small  amount  of 
food  being  given  at  a  time.  Colts  are  usually  weaned 
at  from  five  to  six  months  old.  Calves  are  usually 
taken  from  the  cows  two  or  three  days  after  calving, — 
as  soon  as  the  milk  becomes  normal.  Pigs  are  weaned 
at  about  two  months  old,  and  lambs  at  three  to  four 
months.  After  weaning,  the  udder  of  the  dam  should 
be  milked  often  enough  to  relieve  the  pressure  and  to 
prevent  inflammation.  When  it  is  desired  to  ^'dry  off" 
the  dam,  the  udder  should  not  be  milked  dry. 

The  greatest  objection  to  patent  feeding  devices  in 
which  milk  is  used  as  food  for  young  animals  is  the 
difficulty  in  keeping  them  clean  and  sweet.     In  weaning 


216  The    Care    of  Animals 

calves  it  is  generally  preferable  to  teach  them  to  drink 
"by  hand." 

PYEMIA,    OK    BLOOD-POISONING,    IN    COLTS 

Pyemia  is  a  disease  of  young  colts  due  to  infection 
by  pus -producing  bacteria.  The  disease  usually  occurs 
within  two  or  three  weeks  after  the  colt  is  foaled. 
In  the  early  stages  of  the  disease  the  symptoms  are 
the  collecting  of  pus  in  the  pockets  or  swellings,  and 
usually  some  swelling  of  the  joints  in  the  affected' 
region,  with  stiffness  and  difficult  locomotion.  If  the 
pockets  are  not  opened,  the  pus  often  burrows  along 
the  tendons  and  in  the  loose  tissue  about  the  joints, 
until  it  finally  breaks  and  discharges  as  a  thin 
j'ellow  fluid  from  pockets  that  spread  and  ramify  in 
various  directions.  The  source  of  infection  is  usually  a 
wound  of  some  kind,  in  some  cases  probably  the  navel. 
When  this  disease  is  neglected  the  colt  becomes  dull,  loses 
appetite,  lies  in  the  sun,   grows  weak,  and  finally  dies. 

All  cavities  containing  pus  should  be  opened  freely, 
washed  out  with  warm  water,  and  treated  with  a  solu- 
tion of  corrosive  sublimate  (one  part  to  one  thousand 
parts  of  water).  A  solution  of  one  part  of  peroxid 
of  hydrogen  in  two  parts  of  water  is  excellent.  A 
solution  of  white  lotion,  made  by  diluting  the  ordinary 
solution  with  one -third  the  amount  of  water,  can  be 
used  in  place  of  the  sublimate.  An  infected  navel  must 
be  treated  with  strong  antiseptics,  a  weak  tincture  of 
iodine,  or  cauterized  with  lunar  caustic.  The  colt 
should   be    well    nourished. 


CHAPTER   X 

DISEASES   AND   INJURIES    OF  THE   BONES,   LIMBS   AND 

JOINTS 

Bones  are  composed  of  both  mineral  and  organic 
matter.  In  early  life  there  is  a  predominance  of  the 
animal  or  organic,  matter.  As  age  advances  the  relative 
proportion  of  mineral  to  animal  material  becomes 
larger,  the  bones  become  harder  and  more  brittle,  and, 
as  a  result,  are  more  easily  broken,  and  when  broken 
they  do  not  unite  as  readily  as  do  the  bones  of  young 
animals.  This  is  an  important  fact  in  determining 
whether  or  not  it  will  pay  to  try  to  repair  broken 
bones  in  animals. 

FRACTURES 

A  fracture  is  a  break  in  a  bone.  It  is  usually 
produced  by  external  violence,  although,  in  rare  cases, 
a  fracture  may  be  caused  by  severe  muscular  exertion. 
As  a  general  rule,  fractures  are  not  frequent  among 
animals.  There  are  cases,  however,  in  which  the  bones 
are  abnormally  brittle  and  break  easily.  The  bones  of 
young  animals,  being  somewhat  flexible,  will  sometimes 
double  up  or  bend  out  of  place  without  cracking 
when  subjected  to  a  severe  strain.  Such  a  condition 
is  commonly  known  as  a  "green -stick  fracture,"  but  it 
is   not  frequently  seen.     When  a  bone   is  broken   into 

(217) 


218  The    Care    of  Animate 

two  distinct  parts  it  is  called  a  "simple  fracture."  If 
one  of  the  pieces  of  broken  bone  should  penetrate  the 
flesh  and  skin  so  as  to  protrude  it  is  called  a  "compound 
fractrre."  If  the  bone  is  broken  into  three  or  more 
parts  it  is  called  a  "comminuted  fracture."  Fractures 
are  usually  serious,  but  their  importance  also  depends 
upon  the  location, — whether  near  a  joint  or  so  covered 
with  tissues  as  to  be  inaccessible  to  treatment.  The 
severity  of  the  break,  whether  other  tissues  are  injured, 
the  age,  value,  and  size  of  the  animal,  as  well  as  the 
work  for  which  the  animal  is  intended,  are  to  be  con- 
sidered in  the  treatment.  Fractures  usually  do  better, 
and  there  are  greater  probabilities  of  recovery,  in  small 
animals  than  in  large,  because  the  former  are  more 
easily  treated  and  controlled.  As  a  general  rule, 
fractures  in  cattle  make  better  recoveries  than  those 
in  horses,  other  things  being  equal. 

One  of  the  most  positiye  symptoms  of  fracture  is 
the  loss  of  use  of  the  part,  especially  when  the  part  is 
a  limb.  The  animal  is  unable  to  use  it  to  any  extent 
and,  if  forced  to  move,  goes  on  three  legs.  There  is 
usually  a  displacement  of  the  broken  bone, —  that  is, 
the  bones  slip  by  each  other  and  can  be  moved  out  of 
their  normal  positions.  In  most  cases  there  appears 
to  be  an  extra  joint  where  the  break  occurs,  and  the 
part  can  be  moved  in  various  directions  or  swings  about 
in  a  useless  manner  as  the  animal  moves.  Another 
important  indication  is  a  grating  sound,  called  "crepitus," 
which  can  be  heard  or,  better,  felt,  when  the  broken 
pieces  of  bone  are  moved  upon  each  other.  In  some 
fractures  there  is  no  displacement  of  the  broken  pieces, 


k 


Adjusting    Fractures  219 

especially  in  small,  short  bones  ;  but,  by  grasping  the 
two  extremities  and  moving  or  twisting  them,  the 
crepitus,  as  the  broken  parts  grate  over  each  other,  is 
distinctly  felt  or  heard.  Pain  is  usually  a  well-marked 
accompaniment  of  fracture.  Anj-  movement  of  the  part 
irritates  the  animal.  Swelling  usually  follows  in  a 
short  time,  in  the  region  of  the  broken  part,  especially 
if  the  bone  be  covered  by  soft  tissues. 

The  treatment  of  fracture  consists  in  replacing  the 
broken  bones  in  their  normal  positions  and  keeping 
them  there  without  movement  until  they  have  knit  or 
grown  fast  together.  This  is  a  more  difficult  matter 
in  animals  than  in  the  human  subject,  owing  to  the 
difficulty  in  controlling  the  movements  of  the  animal. 
It  is  seldom  worth  while  to  attempt  to  treat  severe 
comminuted  fractures,  when  the  bone  is  crushed  into 
pieces.  If  the  ends  of  the  broken  bones  have  slipped 
by  each  other,  it  is  necessary  to  pull  them  apart  until 
the  broken  ends  can  be  brought  squarely  together. 
Dogs  should  always  be  muzzled,  to  prevent  their  biting 
the  operator.  It  is  often  a  good  plan  to  give  the  small 
animals  ether,  as  it  not  only  does  away  with  the  pain 
but  renders  the  muscles  limp,  so  that  the  part  may  be 
easily  set;  and  it  keeps  the  animal  quiet  during  the 
operation.  After  the  bones  are  placed  in  position,  the 
part  should  be  covered  with  two  layers  of  flannel  ban- 
dage, smoothly  applied.  This  is  to  allow  for  swelling 
of  the  part  and  to  prevent  the  splints  from  injuring 
the  skin.  Over  the  flannel  bandage  splints  can  be 
applied.  These  are  thin  strips  of  wood,  or  other  light, 
stiff  material,  that  can  be  shaped  to  the   part,   placed 


220  The    Care    of  Animals 

on  the  outside  of  the  flannel  bandage,  and  firmly  held 
in  position  by  binding  them  on  with  bandages.  The 
splints  should  be  as  long  as  possible,  in  order  to  give 
greater  leverage  both  above  and  below  the  fracture, 
and  so  to  prevent  the  part  from  moving.  It  is  some- 
times a  good  plan  to  allow  the  splints  to  extend  from 
the  foot  to  the  knee  or  hock  joint,  or,  at  least,  the  full 
length  of  the  broken  bone  and  as  much  farther  as 
possible.  When  the  broken  bone  is  in  the  leg,  where 
there  is  very  little  soft  tissue  covering  it  and  conse- 
quently very  little  swelling,  a  plaster  of  Paris  splint,  or 
cast,  can  be  applied  directly  over  the  flannel  bandage. 
Prepared  plaster  of  Paris  bandages  can  be  purchased 
at  drug -stores,  or  they  can  be  made  by  using  strips 
of  cheese-cloth  or  thin  cotton  two  and  a  half  inches 
wide  and  six  feet  long.  These  bandages  are  liberally 
sprinkled  with  plaster  of  Paris,  which  is  worked  into 
the  meshes  of  the  cloth  and  sprinkled  on  its  surface. 
The  bandage  is  then  rolled  up.  When  ready  to  apply, 
the  bandages  are  placed  in  a  vessel  of  water  until 
thoroughly  saturated,  as  shown  by  the  absence  of 
escaping  bubbles.  The  bandage  is  then  applied  firmly 
over  the  fracture,  beginning  below  and  winding  upward 
until  a  jacket  is  formed  at  least  half  an  inch  thick. 
The  plaster  cast  should  extend  as  far  above  and  below 
the  fracture  as  is  possible.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  start 
the  plaster  of  Paris  bandage  at  the  foot  or  at  a  large 
joint,  in  order  to  prevent  its  slipping  down,  as  it  is 
likely  to  do  if  the  swelling  in  the  part  should  subside. 
Splints  are  also  made  of  leather,  tin  and  stiff  felt  ; 
and,  in  some  cases,  a  thin  strip  of  iron  can  be  bent 


Adjusting    Fractures  221 

to  conform  to  the  leg,  and  either  be  bound  on  with 
bandages  or  welded  to  the  shoe,  the  upper  end  being 
held  in  position  with  bandages.  After  splints  are  ap- 
plied to  a  fracture,  they  should  be  carefully  watched, 
to  see  that  they  do  not  "cord"  the  part,  shutting  off 
the  circulation  below.  Chafing  of  the  part  or  loosening 
of  the  splints  is  to  be  guarded  against.  Should  these 
conditions  occur,  the  splint  or  cast  should  be  removed 
and  another  applied.  After  the  splints  are  applied  the 
animal  must  be  kept  as  quiet  as  possible.  If  it  is  a 
horse,  and  kept  in  the  standing  position,  slings  or 
"lean-tos"  should  be  supplied,  to  rest  the  animal.  If 
the  animal  is  lying  down  it  should  be  well  protected 
by  bedding,  to  prevent  the  forming  of  bed-sores. 
Plenty  of  nutritious,  laxative  food,  especially  bran 
for  the  larger  animals  and  milk  and  meat  for  the 
smaller,  should  be  supplied,  as  these  furnish  an  abun- 
dance of  the  mineral  substances  which  are  important 
in  preventing  disease  and  in  repairing  injuries  of 
bone. 

A  jelly-like  substance  exudes  from  the  broken  ends 
of  bone.  This  soon  turns  into  gristle  and  forms  a 
callus  around  the  broken  parts,  and  finally  turns  into 
bone  and  firmly  welds  the  parts  together,  if  they  are 
brought  into  contact.  If  the  bone  has  been  well  set 
in  its  normal  position,  the  callus  becomes  absorbed 
and  disappears,  and  scarcely  a  trace  remains  to  show 
the  place  of  the  fracture.  Sometimes,  in  setting  a 
fracture,  the  bones  are  not  replaced  in  their  normal 
position,  and,  as  a  result,  the  leg  may  be  shortened 
or   somewhat    crooked,    causing    the    animal    to   limp. 


222  The    Care    of  Animals 

The  animal,  may  suffer  no  pain,  however,  and  little 
inconvenience  from  this.  It  is  surprising  to  see  how 
quickly  animals  suffering  from  fracture  will  learn  to 
protect  the  injured  part,  and  will  get  up  and  lie  down 
with  little  difficulty,  or  will  hobble  about  at  pasture. 
Horses  recovering  from  fractures  should  not  be  put 
to  w^ork  for  three   months. 

When  a  bone  has  not  been  set  and  the  part  has 
been  subject  to  movement,  the  ends  of  the  broken 
bones  sometimes  heal  over,  and  the  condition  known 
as  "false  joint"  occurs.  The  animal  is  usually  severely 
lame  and  of  little  use  w^hen  afflicted  in  this  w^ay,  as  it  is 
practically  incurable.  If  possible,  the  animal  should 
be  fattened  for  slaughter. 

Broken  bones  in  the  legs  of  chickens  can  be  set  by 
incasing  the  bone  in  a  splint  made  by  using  narrow 
strips  of  cotton  cloth  covered  with  glue,  applied  as  a 
plaster -cast  is  to  a  larger  animal. 

When  a  fracture  occurs  close  to  a  joint  the  inflam- 
mation may  extend  to  the  joint,  and,  in  the  healing 
process,  the  bones  of  the  joint  become  firmly  welded 
together,  or  "anchylosed." 

The  bones  most  commonly  broken  in  animals  are 
those  of  the  legs,  jaws,  face  and  hips.  It  is  impossible 
to  put  splints  on  broken  thigh  bones  of  large  animals, 
because  the  bone  is  so  deeply  covered  with  muscle. 
It  is  usually  a  waste  of  time  and  a  source  of  expense 
to  try  to  treat  a  fracture  that  has  "gathered"  and  is 
discharging  pus.  This  condition  generally  indicates 
that  there  are  some  loose  pieces  of  bone  that  must  be 
removed. 


Ulcerated    Fractures  22S 

FRACTURE     OF    HIP    BONE 

The  condition  that  causes  a  horse  to  be  "hipped" 
is  due  to  a  fracture  of  the  crest  of  the  ilium,  at  the 
point  of  the  hip.  The  large  muscles  attached  to  the 
bone  draw  the  broken  piece  downward.  It  usually 
results  from  striking  the  point  of  the  hip  against  a 
door-post  or  similar  obstacle,  and,  in  some  cases, 
from  kicks  by  other  animals.  It  is  also  seen  in  cows, 
but  not  so  frequently.  No  treatment  can  be  ap- 
plied. The  animal  generally  recovers,  but  the  point 
of  the  hip  does  not  return  to  its  normal  condi- 
tion, and  the  affected  hip  is  noticeably  lower  than 
the  other.  This  condition  rarely  causes  any  inconve- 
nience to  the  animal,  and  is  only  noticeable  as  a 
blemish. 

ULCERATION   OF    BONE 

When  a  bone  has  been  injured  so  as  to  destroy 
the  tough,  fibrous  membrane  (periosteum)  that  covers 
the  outside,  the  bone  may  ulcerate  and  a  running  sore 
form,  which  discharges  a  thin,  watery  pus.  This  con- 
dition can  usually  be  recognized  by  passing  a  small 
metal  probe  into  the  wound,  when  the  hard  denuded 
bone  can  be  distinctly  felt.  This  condition  usually  re- 
quires a  surgical  operation,  cutting  down  upon  the 
injured  bone,  scraping  away  the  diseased  part,  remov- 
ing any  lumps  or  splinters  of  bone  that  may  be  found, 
bringing  the  parts  together  and  treating  it  as  a  simple 
wound.  A  solution  of  one  part  of  peroxid  of  hydrogen 
to  two   or  three    parts    of  water  injected  into  such  a 


224  The    Care    of  Animals 

sure  oxidizes  the  dead  tissue,  destroys  the  pus  and 
cleans  up  the  bone  nicely,  without  injuring  or  irritat- 
ing the  living  tissues.  When  injected,  this  medicine 
should  cause  the  sore  to  foam  like  soda-water  if  pus 
is  present. 

"side -bones" 

On  either  side  of  the  foot  of  the  horse,  at  the  top 
of  the  hoof  and  close  to  the  heel,  can  be  felt  a  piece 
of  cartilage.  These  are  the  "lateral  cartilages."  These 
allow  the  fatty  frog  and  soft  tissues  of  the  heel  to 
expand  as  the  horse  brings  his  weight  on  his  foot. 
In  heavy  draft  horses  especially,  there  is  a  tendency 
for  these  cartilages  to  turn  to  bone,  causing  a  condition 
known  as  "side-bones."  These  side-bones  can  be  felt 
as  a  hard  piece  of  bone  in  the  place  of  the  cartilages, 
and  can  not  be  bent  with  the  fingers.  In  heavy  draft 
horses  or  those  not  used  for  driving  on  the  road,  side- 
bones  are  of  little  importance,  as  they  seldom  interfere 
with  the  animal  in  any  way.  In  horses  intended  for  driv- 
ing, side-bones  may  cause  lameness,  and  such  animals 
are  considered  unsound.  The  only  treatment  for  this 
condition  is  to  have  the  side -bones  removed  by  a  surgi- 
cal operation. 

SOFTENING   OF   BONES 

In  animals,  especially  when  young,  there  frequently 
occurs  a  softening  of  the  bone,  which  allows  them  to 
bend  and  become  deformed.  This  deformity  may  also 
occur  in  young  animals  when  the  body  is  unusually 
heavy,  and  they  attempt  to   walk  before  the  legs  are 


Softening    and   Harde^iing    of  Bones  225 

strong  enough  to  sustain  the  weight  well.  The  con- 
dition is  most  frequently  observ^ed  in  heavj- bodied 
puppies.  The  treatment  for  softening  of  the  bone  is 
to  give  liberally  of  foods  containing  mineral  matter, 
such  as  meats,  a  little  ground  "green"  bone,  bran  and 
lime-water.  Milk  is  also  excellent.  Especial  atten- 
tion should  be  given  to  keeping  up  the  general  health 
of  the  animal. 

BRITTLE    BONES 

Bones  naturally  grow  more  brittle  w^ith  advancing 
age,  but  abnormal  brittleness  may  occur  in  young  ani- 
mals,— due  to  an  abnormal  amount  of  mineral  matter. 
The  causes  of  this  condition  are  not  understood,  but 
it  is  generally  believed  to  be  due  to  some  defect  in 
nutrition.  Medicinal  treatment  does  not  seem  to  be 
of  benefit.  The  diet  should  be  carefully  looked  after, 
the  bowels  kept  open,  and  the  general  health  promoted 
by  a  variety  of  food,  fresh  air,  sufficient  exercise  and 
sunlight. 

CARTILAGE   TURNING   TO   BONE 

As  animals  grow  old  and  the  bone  becomes  brittle, 
there  is  a  tendency  for  the  cartilage  or  "gristle"  of  the 
body  to  ossify,  or  turn  into  bone.  This  condition  some- 
times occurs  in  3'oung  animals.  There  is  little  help  for 
it;  the  only  treatment  is  to  look  carefully  after  the 
animars  diet,  and  supply  food  and  w^ater  that  contain 
little  salts  of  lime.  Rain-water  is  usually  preferable  to 
well-  or  spring- water  for  this  purpose.  Bi-an  and 
animal  foods  should  be  avoided  as  much  as  possible. 


226  The    Care  of  Animals 

OSTEOPOROSIS 

This  IS  a  disease  of  horses,  and  is  commonly  known 
as  "big  head."  In  some  regions  it  is  rather  prevalent, 
while  in  other  regions  it  is  rarely  seen.  This  fact  is 
explained  by  the  presence  or  absence  in  the  soil,  water 
or  food  of  some  substance  which  is  important  in  the 
growth  and  nutrition  of  bone.  The  disease  is  probably 
associated  with  the  salts  of  lime. 

Osteoporosis  is  an  absorption  and  softening  of  the 
bony  structure.  The  bone  becomes  increased  in  size, 
but  lighter  in  weight,  and  very  porous  or  spongy.  The 
disease  is  usually  first  observed  in  the  bones  of  the 
head.  The  bones  of  the  face  become  enlarged,  giving 
the  face  a  full,  rounded  appearance.  The  lower  jaw- 
bones become  enlarged  ;  later,  the  legs  are  affected. 
The  bones  may  be  slightly  inflamed,  somewhat  tender 
upon  manipulation,  and  locomotion  may  be  interfered 
with.  As  the  disease  progresses,  the  animal  falls  away 
rapidly  in  flesh. 

The  treatment  for  this  trouble  consists  in  the  use 
of  tonic  medicines,  combined  with  a  variety  of  nour- 
ishing foods,  and  hygienic  surroundings.  Once  the 
disease  is  well  established,  treatment  is  of  little  avail. 

BONY   ENLARGEMENTS 

Bony  bunches,  or  enlargements,  are  technically  known 
as  "exostoses."  They  may  occur  at  any  point  on  a  bone, 
but  are  most  frequently  found  and  are  most  serious  in 
the  region  of  a  joint.     An  exotosis,  "or  bony  bunch,"  is 


Spavin  227 

usually  a  result  of  inflammation  of  the  part,  which,  in 
turn,  is  an  effort  of  nature  to  overcome  an  injury  or  a 
disease.  In  many  cases,  after  the  disease  or  injury  is 
cured,  the  bunch  is  absorbed  and  the  part  returns  to 
its  normal  size.  The  absorption  of  bony  bunches  can 
frequently*  be  assisted  by  the  application  of  light  blis- 
ters to  the  parts.  When  a  bony  bunch  occurs  at  a 
joint  and  welds  the  bones  together,  the  joint  is  said 
to  be  "anchylosed,"  (page  222)  and  remains  perma- 
nently stiff. 

BONE    SPAVIN 

A  bone  spavin  is  an  inflammation  of  some  of  the 
bones  forming  the  hock-joint  of  the  horse,  usually 
followed  by  a  bunch  or  exostosis,  which  causes  anchy- 
losis, or  welding  together  of  the  bones  of  the  joint. 
Bone  spavins  occur  on  the  inside  of  the  joint,  slightly 
to  the  front.  There  are  two  kinds,  commonly  recog- 
nized according  to  their  location,  the  high  spavin,  and 
the  low  or  "  jack  "  spavin.  The  high  spavin  is 
usually  the  more  serious,  as  the  joint  affected  is  more 
important  and  more  motion  takes  place  there. 

The  causes  of  bone  spavin  may  be  divided  into  (1) 
the  predisposing,  which  includes  a  bad  conformation  or 
a  hereditary  tendency,  and  (2)  the  exciting,  such  as 
strains  or  injuries  which  are  direct  causes  Horses  with 
rough,  coarse  hocks  or  with  hock -joints  that  are 
either  too  straight  or  too  bent  or  crooked,  are  liable 
to  spavin.  There  is  also  an  hereditary  tendency  often 
transmitted  from  the  sire  or  dam  to  the  offspring. 
There  is  a  frequently  expressed  opinion  among  farmers 


228  The    Care    of  Animals 

that  a  ring-boned  or  spavined  mare  "will  do  to  raise 
colts  from,"  but  she  is  very  likely  to  transmit  a  similar 
tendency  to  her  colts.  Horses  suffering  from  ring-bones 
or  spavins  should  not  be  bred,  unless  these  diseases  were 
evidently  of  accidental  origin  or  the  animal  is  p'articu- 
larly  valuable  for  breeding  purposes. 

One  of  the  exciting  causes  of  spavins  is  hard  or  fast 
work,  especially  in  j^oung  horses.  Most  cases  of  spavin 
occur  in  horses  under  eight  years  of  age.  Spavins  may  be 
caused  by  strains,  blows  and  injuries  to  the  joint,  espe- 
cially the  concussion  or  jar  that  comes  from  fast  driving 
on  hard  roads.  Another  cause  is  allowing  the  hoof  to 
wear  unevenh-,  so  that  too  great  a  strain  is  brought 
on  the  hock-joint,  especially  on  the  inside.  The  feet 
of  colts  should  be  examined  frequently  before  they  are 
shod,  and  any  inequalities  removed,  so  that  the  foot 
shall  be  kept  level. 

There  is  a  lameness  that  is  verj^  characteristic  of 
spavin,  but  it  is  difficult  to  describe.  The  horse  has 
a  peculiar,  "spavined"  gait, —  a  slight  hitch  in  the 
affected  leg  and  a  sudden  dropping  on  the  well  one  as 
he  travels.  The  lameness  is  most  pronounced  when  the 
horse  first  starts  out.  After  going  some  distance,  the 
lameness  may  largely  disappear,  and  the  horse  is  said 
to  "warm  out"  of  it.  In  traveling,  the  horse  steps 
on  the  toe  of  the  affected  foot,  usually  wearing  away 
the  toe  of  the  hoof  or  shoe  very  rapidly.  If  a  spav- 
ined horse  is  driven  rapidly  until  thoroughly  w^arm, 
when  cooled  he  is  unusually  stiff  and  lame  in  the 
spavined  leg.  If  the  hock -joint  of  tlie  affected  leg  is 
flexed  to  its  utmost,  by  carrying  the  *oot  forward  and 


Spavin 


229 


as  high  as  possible,  then  held  in  this  position  for  a 
few  minutes,  and  then  the  horse  is  started  at  once  into 
a  sharp  trot,  the  lameness  will 
be  found  to  be  more  severe. 

A  careful  examination  of  the 
inside  of  the  hock- joint,  either  by 
feeling  or  comparing  it  with  the 
other  joint,  will  show  an  enlarge- 
ment, or  bunch,  that  may  vary 
in  size,  according  to  circum- 
stances. The  size  of  the  bunch 
does  not  indicate  the  severity  of 
the  disease.  The  most  severe 
cases  of  spavin  (occult)  may  oc- 
cur without  an}'  bunch  or  en- 
largement. When  standing,  the 
horse  usually  rests  the  spavined 
leg  b}'  carrying  the  foot  slightly 
forward  and  bending  the  hock- 
joint  a  little.    Figs.  43,  44. 

In  treating  spavins,  the  ob- 
ject is  to  hasten  the  welding  to- 
gether of  the  joints.  In  order 
to  do  this,  all  movement  in  the 
joint  is  to  be  stopped  as  far  as 
possible.  If  the  joint  is  badly 
inflamed,  reduce  the  inflammation 
by  fomentations  of  hot  water,  ap- 
plied two  or  three  times  daily  for  twenty  minutes  at  a 
time.  A  high -heeled  shoe  should  be  applied,  to  prevent 
straining  the  joint.     The  heel  of   the  shoe  should   be 


Fig.  43.     Bone-spavin,  shown 
at  the  arrow. 


230 


The    Care    of  Animals 


raised  about  an  inch,  the  inside  calk  being  lower,  in 
order  to  throw  most  of  the  weight  on  the  outside  of 
the  joint.  After  the  acute  inflammation  has  subsided, 
a  sharp  blister  should  be  applied,  covering  an  area  of 
at  least  three  inches  in  diameter  over  the  spavin  A 
"red  blister"  is  usually  preferred.  The  blister  may 
cause  the  exostosis  to  increase  in  size  for  a  time,  but 
this  is  not  to  be  feared.  The  blister 
may  be  repeated  in  three  or  four  weeks. 
After  the  blister  has  been  applied,  a  run 
at  pasture  is  excellent,  the  high-heel 
shoe  being  left  on.  In  bad  cases,  it  is 
often  a  good  plan  to  "fire"  the  spavin 
at  once.  In  firing  a  spavin,  the  usual 
plan  is  to  "feather"  or  "line"  fire 
clear  around  the  joint  ;  then  to  put  a 
few  punctures  in  the  region  of  the 
bunch,  care  being  taken  not  to  open 
the  joint.  The  essentials  to  success,  in 
treating  spavins,  are  counter- irritation 
and  rest.  A  cured  spavin  is  one  in 
which  the  inflamed  joint  is  firmly 
welded  tegether  by  the  bony  bunch  or 
exostosis,  so  there  is  no  motion  in  the 
joint.  This  stops  all  irritation,  and,  as  a  result,  the 
horse  goes  without  limping.  A  spavined  horse  is 
always  unsound,  and  an  expert  can  detect  such  an 
animal,  even  though  a  "cured"  one,  by  seeing  the  ani- 
mal move.  Spavins  are  more  successfully  treated  in 
young  animals  than  in  old.  In  some  cases,  spavins 
resist  all  forms   of   treatment   and   the   horse  remains 


Fig.  44.  Bone-spavin, 
as  shown  on  bones 
of  the  hock-joint. 


Spavin  —  Ring  -  hone 


231 


seriously  and  permanently  lame.  In  a  majority  of 
cases,  spavins  can  be  treated  successfully,  the  lameness 
will  disappear,  and  the  horse  can  perform  ordinary 
labor  with  little,  if  any,   inconvenience. 

Occult  spavins,  when  there  is  no  visible  bony  bunch, 
are  difficult  to  remed}'.  After  the  joint  is  well  knit 
together  and  the  lameness  disappears,  the  exostosis,  or 
bunch,  will  usually  be  absorbed  and  disappear.  A  light 
blister,  rubbed  on  occasionally,  will  assist  in  remov- 
ing it. 

Bog -spavin  is  a  very  different  dis- 
ease and  is  separately  treated  near 
the  end  of  this  Chapter  (page  238). 

RING  -  BONE 

This  name  is  applied  to  the  same 
condition  as  a  spavin,  except  that  it 
occurs  on  the  pastern -joint,  rarely 
the  coffin -joint,  on  any  one  of  the 
four  legs.     There  is  inflammation  of 

the  joint,   followed    by  exostosis,   and    Fig.  45.  Ring-bone  on  bones 
n      T  11'  IT  i  of  the  pastern-joint. 

usually  by  anchylosis,  or  welding  to- 
gether of  the  large  and  small  pastern -bones.  In  many 
cases  there  is  no  "ring"  of  bone  around  the  joint,  only 
a  bony  bunch  at  one  or  on  both  sides  of  the  joint.  Figs. 
45  and  46.  The  predisposing  causes  of  ring-bone  are 
long,  oblique  or  very  short  straight  pasterns.  There 
may  be,  also,  an  hereditary  tendency  to  the  disease. 
The  exciting  causes  are  practically  the  same  as  those  of 
spavins, —  sprains,  injuries  and  concussion.     Ring-bone 


232 


The    Care   of  Animals 


is   sometimes  caused    by  a    sharp -shod  horse   stepping 

on  its  mate  so  as  to  injure  the  joint. 

The   symptoms   of   ring-bone    are    severe    lameness, 

with  inflammation  of  the  joint  as  shown  by  heat,  pain 

and  swelling.  These  symp- 
toms are  followed  by  a  bony 
bunch,  thrown  out  usually 
toward  the  side  of  the  joint; 
or  the  exostosis  may  form  a 
ring  nearly  around  the  joint. 
The  treatment  for  ring- 
bone is  the  same  as  that  for 
Spavin,  except  that  firing  is 
to  be  resorted  to  earlier. 
Ring-bones  occur  on  a  much 
more  important  joint  than  the 
spavins.  More  motion  takes 
place  at  the  pastern -joint, 
and  as  a  result  ring-bones 
are  more  difficult  to  cure. 
The  treatment,  as  commonlj^ 
expressed  by  horsemen,  is  to 
"fire,  blister  and  turn  out  to 
is  welded  together,  the  ring- 
A  horse  having  a  ring-bone. 


Fig.  4G. 
Ring-bone  enlargement. 


grass."     When  the  joint 

bone  is  said  to  be  cured. 

even  though  he  is  cured,  has  a  decided  limp,  owing  to 

the  welding  together  of  the  bones,  of  such  an  important 

joint.     Such  animals  are    useful    only    for    performing 

slow  work. 


Splint   in   Horses  233 

BIG -KNEE  AND  OTHER  ENLARGEMENTS 

Big -knee  in  horses  is  comparable  with  ring-bone  or 
spavin,  except  that  it  occurs  at  the  knee-joint.  There 
is  inflammation,  followed  by  a  bonj^  bunch,  or  exostosis, 
and  often  by  anchylosis.  Firing,  a  blister  and  rest 
comprise  the  best  treatment.  Horses  affected  in  this 
way  are  of  little  value. 

Inflammation  followed  by  exostosis  and  anchylosis 
may  occur  at  almost  any  joint  in  the  body.  The  symp- 
toms and  treatment  are  practically  the  same  as  for 
ring-bone,  spavins  and  big-knee. 


SPLINT 

A  "splint"  is  an  exostosis  occurring  on  the  inside  of 
the  fore  leg  below  the  knee,  between  the  splint-bone 
and  the  cannon-bone.  It  rarely  occurs  on  the  out- 
side, or  on  the  hind  leg,  and  such  cases  are  prob- 
ably due  to  an  injury.  Splints  are  rather  common  in 
young  horses,  especially  colts,  but  unless  the^^  are 
close  to  the  knee  so  that  inflammation  is  liable  to 
Extend  to  the  knee-joint,  they  are  usually  of  little  im- 
portance, except  for  the  blemish  that  the  bunch  causes. 
In  some  cases  there  may  be  persistent  lameness  asso- 
ciated with  the  splint.  Such  animals  are  considered 
to  be  unsound. 

The  splint-bone  on  the  inside  of  the  fore  leg  is  a 
small  bone  attached  to  the  side  of  the  cannon-bone 
by  means  of  ligaments.  On  the  top  of  this  splint- 
bone  rests  one  of  the  bones  of  the  knee.     Any  severe 


234  The    Care   of  Animals 

strain  or  concussion  has  a  tendency  to  split  the  splint- 
bone  loose  from  the  cannon-bone.  To  stop  any  move- 
ment that  may  take  place  between  these  two  bones, 
nature  throws  out  an  exostosis  to  weld  them  together. 
When  this  is  accomplished,  the  bones  are  held  firmly 
in  their  normal  position  and  the  splint  is  cured. 

When  splints  are  first  forming  there  is  usually  lame- 
ness, though  not  always.  The  first  symptom  usually 
noticed  is  the  appearance  of  the  small  bunch  on  the 
inside  of  the  fore  leg. 

Unless  there  is  a  marked  lameness  or  the  splint  is 
large,  the  best  treatment  for  this  trouble  is  to  let  it 
alone  or  to  hand -rub  thoroughly.  The  lameness  usu- 
ally disappears,  and  the  bunch  becomes  absorbed. 
When  there  is  marked  lameness  or  a  large  bunch,  a 
light  blister  rubbed  over  the  part  and  repeated  in  three 
or  four  weeks  is  usually  sufficient.  Tincture  of  iodine, 
painted  on  once  daily  until  the  skin  becomes  sore,  and 
then  withheld  a  few  days,  is  good.  When  there  is 
much  inflammation  or  a  large  bunch,  puncturing  the 
periosteum,  or  covering  of  the  bone,  wdth  a  fine -pointed 
knife  will  often  relieve  the  pressure  and  stop  the  lame- 
ness. This  operation  should  be  performed  by  a  skilled 
surgeon. 

DISLOCATION     OP     BONES 

Dislocated  bones  are  commonly  said  to  be  "out-.of- 
joint."  This  condition  is  comparatively  rare  in  the  lower 
animals.  Dislocations  are  caused  by  violence,  severe 
strains,  peculiar  attitudes  and  slipping,  which  produce 
a  partial  or  complete  rupture  of  the  strong  ligaments 


Knuckling    and    Stifle  235 

which  bind  the  bones  together  at  a  joint.  Partial  dis- 
location of  joints  are  more  frequent,  especially  so  in 
young   "loose- jointed"  colts. 

Knuckling 

A  partial  dislocation  occurring  at  the  fetlock -joint 
in  colts  is  commonly  called  "knuckling."  It  may  be 
so  severe  that  the  colt  is  unable  to  walk  to  any  extent. 
It  is  most  frequently  seen  in  suckling  colts.  If  taken 
in  time,  and  properly  treated,  it  will  usually  be  out- 
grown. If  the  colt  is  small,  putting  on  splints  of 
wood,  leather  or  similar  material,  first  protecting  the 
leg  by  a  flannel  bandage,  will  usually  strengthen  the 
part,  and  prevent  the  joint  from  doubling  over  and 
becoming  sore  from  striking  the  ground.  Foals  will 
outgrow  and  make  good  recoveries  from  bad  cases  of 
knuckling.  In  older  horses  the  tendency  to  double 
over  at  the  fetlock -joints  can  usually  be  corrected  by 
shoeing  in  such  manner  as  to  throw  the  fetlock -joint 
backward.  Aged  horses,  or  horses  that  have  been 
subjected  to  severe  exertions  from  fast  driving,  may 
knuckle  over  at  the  fetlock -joints,  particularly  of  the 
hind  leg,  from  a  contraction  of  the  tendons.  This 
condition  is  commonly  called  a  "cocked  ankle."  Such 
cases  may  be  remedied  somewhat  by  shoeing. 

Stifle 

A  dislocation  of  the  patella,  commonly  called  the 
"stifle"  bone  (corresponding  to  the  knee-cap  of  man), 
is  the  most  frequent  dislocation  in  animals.     A  horse 


236  The    Care   of  Animals 

so  afflicted  is  commonly  said  to  be  "stifled."  In  this 
condition  the  stifle -bone  slips  to  the  outside  of  the 
stifle-joint,  and  the  horse  is  unable  to  move  the  hind 
leg  to  any  extent,  especially  in  bringing  it  forward. 

The  causes  of  this  trouble  are  external  violence, 
especially  slipping  when  the  animal  is  getting  up  in 
the  stable.  It  most  frequently  affects  loose -jointed 
colts  that  are  pastured  on  hilly  or  gravelly  pastures. 
A  "stifled"  animal  can  scarcely  move.  The  hind  leg 
on  the  affected  side  usually  stands  backward  with  the 
toe  resting  on  the  ground,  the  animal  being  unable 
to  bring  it  forward.  The  muscles  of  the  leg  seem  to 
be  cramped  and  slightly  swollen.  There  is  a  lump  or 
swelling  on  the  outside  and  a  little  below  the  stifle- 
joint.  If  the  animal  is  forced  to  move,  it  goes  on  three 
legs,  dragging  the  injured  leg. 

The  treatment  consists  in  replacing  the  stifle -bone 
and  keeping  it  in  its  normal  position.  Sometimes  a 
sudden  movement  on  the  part  of  the  animal,  such  as 
would  follow  a  sharp  cut  with  the  whip,  will  cause 
the  bone  to  slip  back  into  place  of  its  own  accord. 
The  better  method  is  to  fasten  a  rope  or  strap  around 
the  affected  leg  below  the  fetlock-joint,  and  while  an 
assistant  draws  the  leg  forward  the  operator  pushes 
the  stifle -bone  forward  and  inward,  causing  it  to  slip 
into  place  with  a  ^vell- defined  "cluck."  The  horse 
should  be  kept  standing  for  forty -eight  hours,  with 
the  affected  leg  kept  well  forward  by  tying  the  rope 
or  strap  that  is  around  the  fetlock  through  the  collar. 
A  sharp  fly -blister  should  be  placed  on  the  outside  of 
the    stifle-joint.     The  horse  should   be  allowed  gentle 


stifle  237 

exercise  in  a  Jevel  pasture,  or  given  very  light  work 
until  the  ruptured  ligaments  have  thoroughly  healed 
and  the  parts  contracted. 

Stifle  may  become  chronic;  that  is,  the  stifle -bone 
may  slip  out  very  frequently.  In  bad  cases  it  may 
slip  out  or  in  of  its  own  accord  nearly  every  time  the 
animal  steps.  The  treatment  for  these  chronic  cases  is 
not  satisfactory.  A  stifle  shoe  can  be  applied  to  pre- 
vent the  animal  from  getting  the  foot  too  far  backward. 
This  consists  in  welding  a  piece  of  iron  to  the  shoe 
and  allowing  it  to  extend  forward,  the  end  being  turned 
upward.  Repeated  applications  of  light  blisters,  and 
rest  or  gentle  exercise,  give  the  best  results. 

Disloc(dion    of  the    Neck 

A  partial  dislocation  of  the  neck  is  sometimes  caused 
by  the  animal's  becoming  entangled  in  the  tie -rope  and 
being  thrown  in  such  a  manner  as  to  double  the  neck 
under  the  body.  In  rare  cases  the  neck  may  be  com- 
pletely dislocated  and  the  animal  still  live.  In  the 
partial  dislocation  the  head  is  twisted  around  to  one 
side  and  remains  in  that  position,  the  animal  being 
unable  to  move  it  to  any  extent.  Sometimes  the 
difficulty  is  purely  muscular,  caused  by  a  paralysis  of 
the  muscles  from  lying  too  long  in  a  cramped  position. 
Bathing  the  affected  muscles  with  hot  water,  and  rub- 
bing them  well,  is  usually  sufficient  to  enable  the  animal 
to  gradually  recover  the  use  of  the  muscles.  The  dis- 
location of  the  vertebrae  is  difficult  to  treat. 


238  The    Care    of  Animals 

SPRAINS 

A  sprain  is  an  injury  to  a  joint  caused  by  violence, 
which  produces  more  or  less  injury  to  the  ligaments 
binding  the  bones  together  and  the  soft  tissues  of 
the  joint.  Sprains  usually  result  from  twisting  or 
bending  of  the  joint  in  an  unusual  direction. 

Severe  lameness  usually  comes  on  suddenly  soon 
after  the  injury.  The  joint  becomes  inflamed,  swollen 
and  tender,  and  is  usually  moved  with  much  difficult3^ 
The  animal  should  be  kept  quiet.  If  there  is  severe 
pain,  fomentations  of  hot  water  should  be  applied 
to  soften,  soothe  and  relax  the  part.  When  the  in- 
flammation is  severe  and  persistent,  cold  applications 
in  the  form  of  water  or  bags  of  ice  are  beneficial. 
After  the  inflammation  subsides,  if  the  lameness  and 
swelling  persist,  liniments  well  rubbed  in  or  a  light 
blister  will  hasten  recovery.  A  part  that  has  been 
severely  sprained  should  have  a  long  period  of  rest, 
as  complete  recovery  from  a  sprain  is  very  slow. 

BOG -SPAVIN 

Every  true  joint  contains  a  lubricating  liquid  called 
"joint -oil"  or  synovial  fluid.  When  for  any  cause  this 
joint  oil  or  synovial  fluid  is  secreted  in  abnormal 
amounts,  it  causes  the  soft  tissues  around  the  joint 
to  bulge  outward.  When  this  condition  occurs  on  the 
hock-joint,  it  is  called  a  "bog-spavin." 

The  first  symptom  is  a  puffy  enlargement  on  the  front 
of  the  hock-joint,  toward  the  upper  and  inner  part,  due 
to  a  distension  of  the  capsular  ligament  of  the  joint  by 


Bog -spavin  239 

the  synovial  fluid.  It  is  fairly  common  in  young  large- 
jointed  colts,  especially  of  the  heary  draft  breeds.  It 
is  usually  caused  by  strains  upon  the  joints,  such  as 
heavy  pulling,  or  any  overwork  when  the  animal  is* 
too  young.  It  rareh-  causes  lameness;  although  when 
the  bog -spavin  is  caused  by  a  severe  strain  there  may 
be  lameness  resulting  from  the  injury.  In  colts,  bog- 
spavins  often  disappear  by  the  time  they  are  three 
years  old. 

The  treatment  is  to  cause  the  synovial  fluid  to  be 
absorbed.  This  can  usually  be  done  by  pressure  and 
cold,  applied  to  the  outside  of  the  joint  by  means  of 
wet  bandages.  Before  putting  on  the  bandages,  hand- 
rubbing  the  part  will  often  cause  much  of  the  fluid  to 
be  absorbed.  Tincture  of  iodine  may  be  painted  on 
the  part,  or  iodine  ointment  rubbed  in  once  daily. 
When  the  part  begins  to  get  sore  this  treatment  should 
be  withheld  for  a  few  days.  A  small  amount  of  red 
blister  rubbed  over  the  spavin  sometimes  proves  benefi- 
cial, but  severe  blisters  should  be  avoided.  A  spring 
truss  is  made,  to  be  applied  to  the  spavin  for  an  hour 
or  two  twice  daily.  This  truss,  by  exerting  pressure, 
causes  the  fluid  to  be  absorbed.  Bog -spavins  should 
never  be  opened  with  a  knife.  In  cases  of  long  stand- 
ing or  in  aged  horses  treatment  is  unsatisfactory. 

WIND -PUFFS 

A  wind-puff  is  a  condition  similar  to  bog-spavin, 
except  that  it  does  not  occur  on  a  joint,  but  usually 
between  tendons  where  small  sacks,  containing  synovial 


240  The    Care   of  Animals 

fluid  or  joint-oil,  are  situated,  to  lubricate  the  tendons 
as  they  play  over  each  other.  Wind- puffs  are  usually 
located  on  either  side  of  the  leg,  more  particularly  on 
♦the  outer  side  just  above  the  fetlock- joint,  between 
the  back  tendons  and  the  bone.  They  are  noticed  as 
rounded  or  elongated  puffy  enlargements  that  feel  as 
if  they  might  contain  air.  They  are  usually  found  on 
horses  that  have  been  subjected  to  severe  exertions, 
especially  to  fast  work.  Wind -puffs  seldom  interfere 
seriously  with  a  horse's  ordinary  work,  but  they  are  a 
serious  blemish,  and  as  an  animal  grows  older  they  are 
likely  to  become  more  marked.  In  rare  cases,  the  joint- 
oil  which  they  contain  may  solidify  into  hard  masses. 
The  treatment  for  wdnd- puffs  is  the  same  as  for 
bog- spavins, —  iodine,  either  as  a  tincture  or  ointment, 
hand -rubbing  and  pressure.  Some  cases  can  be  suc- 
cessfully treated  by  drawing  off  the  synovial  or  joint- 
oil,  by  means  of  a  hypodermic  syringe,  and  injecting 
a  solution  of  iodine.  This  should  be  attempted  only 
under  the  direction  of  a  well -qualified  person. 

THOROUGH -PIN 

A  thorough -pin  is  a  puffy  enlargement  occurring 
half-way  between  the  point  of  the  hock  and  the  front  of 
the  hock- joint.  It  is  the  same  condition  as  a  wind- puff, 
— a  soft  puffy  enlargement  occurring  both  on  the  inside 
and  the  outside  of  the  leg,  in  the  hollow  just  in  front  of 
the  large  tendons  which  are  inserted  in  the  point  of 
the  hock.  By  gentle  pressure,  the  synovial  fluid  can 
be  pressed  through  from  one  side  to  the  other;   hence 


Curbing    in    Houses  241 

the  name,  " thorough -piii."  The  causes  and  treatment 
are  the  same  as  for  wind -puffs.  A  pad  or  truss  is  also 
made  that  can  be  applied  as  for  a  bog -spavin. 

CURB 

A  curb  is  a  bulging  or  thickening  of  the  ligaments 
and  other  tissues  on  the  back  part  of  the  hock,  just 
below  the  point,  giving  to  that  part  a  curved,  bulging 
outline  instead  of  the  straight  line  that  is  normally 
presented  when  the  hock  is  viewed  from  one  side. 

Some  horses'  hocks,  because  of  their  rough,  weak 
appearance,  are  called  by  horsemen  "curby"  hocks. 
They  seem  to  show  predisposition  to  this  disease.  The 
exciting  causes  are  severe  strains  on  the  hock -joint, 
such  as  may  occur  by  heavy  pulling,  and  especially 
by  rearing  and  jumping.  Such  movements  are  often 
spoken   of  by  horsemen  as   liable   to  "spring  a  curb." 

There  is  usually  lameness,  associated  with  some 
inflammation,  at  the  back  part  of  the  hock,  followed 
by  the  appearance  of  a  bunch,  or  thickening,  of  that 
part.  The  lameness  frequently  disappears,  but  the 
enlargement  persists,  leaving  a  blemish  more  or  less 
marked.  An  animal  having  a  curb  is  always  unsound, 
being  unfitted  for  fast  work.  But  this  lameness  may 
not  seriously  interfere  with  his  usefulness  as  an  ordinary 
work -horse. 

In  treating  curb,  the  horse  should  have  rest  and  a 
high -heeled  shoe  on  the  foot  of  the  affected  leg.  Mild 
counter-irritants,  in  the  form  of  liniments,  tincture  of 
iodine  or  iodine  ointment,  or  light  blisters  applied  to 


242  The    Care    of  Animals 

the  part,  are  of  assistance  in  curing  the  lameness  and 
removing  the  enlargement.  Should  this  treatment  fail, 
firing  with  a  fine  puncturing- iron  must  be  resorted  to. 

KNEE -SPRUNG 

This  is  most  frequent  in  aged  horses  that  have 
been  subject  to  severe  work,  especially  upon  the  road. 
It  is  a  condition  in  which  the  knees  are  bent  or  sprung 
slightly  forward,  owing  to  a  contraction  of  the  tendons 
which  pass  down  the  back  of  the  leg.  It  may  occur 
in  young  horses  as  a  deformity  or  as  the  result  of  an 
injury.  When  the  trouble  is  very  slight  it  can  some- 
times be  remedied  by  using  a  thin  heel -shoe,  and  em- 
ploying hand -rubbing  with  a  mild  liniment  to  the  back 
tendons.  Well-marked  or  chronic  cases  will  require  the 
cutting  of  one  or  both  of  the  back  tendons.  This 
operation  should  be  performed  only  by  a  skilled 
surgeon. 

BREAKING -DOWN 

In  horses  that  are  used  for  racing  or  are  otherwise 
subjected  to  severe  exertion,  the  ligaments  which  pass 
down  over  the  fetlock-joints  become  ruptured,  allowing 
the  joints  to  fall  nearly  to  the  ground  as  the  horse 
puts  his  weight  upon  them.  If  the  rupture  is  severe 
there  is  little  hope  of  recovery,  although  the  animal 
can  often  get  about  fairly  well  and  can  be  used  for 
breeding  purposes.  When  the  rupture  of  the  ligaments 
is  slight,  rest,  a  light  blister  to  the  part  and  a  brace 
attached  to  the  shoe,  will   often  enable    the  ruptured 


Injured    Tendons  243 

parts  to  unite  so  that  the  horse  can  do  light  work; 
but  an  animal  that  has  suffered  from  a  partial  rupture 
of  the  ligaments  should  never  again  be  subjected  to 
severe  work. 

RUPTURED   TENDONS 

Owing  to  severe  exertion,  the  tendons  of  the  legs, 
especially  the  back  tendons,  may  be  completely  or  par- 
tially^ ruptured.  There  is  usually  severe  lameness 
in  the  injured  tissues,  associated  with  swelling  and 
inflammation.  In  treating  the  parts,  the  inflammation 
should  first  be  reduced  by  the  application  of  hot  or 
cold  water,  wet  bandages  being  applied  lightly  to  re- 
lieve the  strain.  After  the  swelling  has  subsided, 
liniments  or  light  blisters  can  be  used.  The  parts 
should  not  be  subjected  to  severe  strains  afterward. 


CHAPTER    XI 

DISEASES    OF    THE    ALIMENTARY    TRACT    AND    OF 
THE    DIGESTIVE    FUNCTION 

The  digestive  system  includes  the  mouth,  throat, 
esophagus  or  gullet,  stomach  and  intestines,  with  the 
glands  which  pour  their  secretions  into  this  tract,  such 
as  the  liver,  salivary  glands  and  pancreas. 

The  differences  in  the  mouths  of  animals  are  very 
marked.  In  the  horse  the  soft  palate,  or  curtain  between 
the  mouth  and  the  throat  cavity,  is  long,  and  is  so 
constructed  that  it  prevents  the  horse  from  breathing 
through  the  mouth.  Cattle  and  sheep  have  no  incisors, 
or  front  teeth,  on  the  upper  jaw,  but,  instead,  a  pad 
of  cartilage  against  which  the  lower  incisor  teeth  close 
in  biting  grass.  In  pigs  the  teeth  are  set  in  a  con- 
tinuous row  in  the  upper  and  lower  jaws.  In  horses 
there  is  an  interdental  space  between  the  incisors  and 
the  molars  or  grinders.  In  male  horses  there  is  in 
this  space  a  single  canine  or  "bridle"  tooth.  These 
are  also  found  occasionally  in  mares. 

The  stomach  of  the  horse  is  rather  small  and  the 
bowels  are  capacious.  In  ruminants  —  those  animals 
which  chew  the  cud,  such  as  the  cow  and  sheep  —  there 
are  four  stomachs.  The  first  is  the  rumen  or  paunch, 
which  lies  on  the  left  side.     In  adult   cattle  it  has  a 

(244) 


The    Alimentary    Tract  245 

capacity  of  about  fiftj'  gallons.  Opening  from  the 
rumen  at  its  anterior  extremity  is  a  small  cavity, 
the  reticulum,  commonly  called  the  'Mioneycomb "  on 
account  of  the  peculiar  structure  of  the  lining  mem- 
brane. It  is  very  common  to  find  foreign  bodies, 
nails,  etc.,  in  this  cavity  after  death.  The  next  stomach 
is  the  omasum,  or  "manyplies,"  or  "manifolds,"  situ- 
ated to  the  rigiit  of  the  rumen  and  well  forward. 
The  omasum  is  made  up  of  a  large  number  of  folds, 
like  the  leaves  of  a  book,  and  between  these  leaves  the 
food  lodges,  and  is  partly  digested.  In  this  stoniach 
the  food  is  always  rather  dry  and  firm.  The  next  and 
true  stomach  is  the  abomasum.  This  is  situated  just 
behind  the  manifolds  and  to  the  right  of  the  rumen. 
The  lining  membrane  of  the  stomach  is  arranged  in 
loose  folds,  which  run  lengthwise.  In  examining  ani- 
mals a  few  hours  after  death,  it  is  usual  to  find  the 
lining  membrane  of  the  rumen  and  omasum  peeling  off 
readily  over  large  areas.  This  is  due  to  the  action 
of  the  digestive  juices,  which  begin  after  death  to  digest 
the  stomachs  themselves.  In  the  horse  there  is  no 
bile -cyst  or  gall-bladder  in  the  liver,  as  there  is  in 
cattle  and  pigs.  Other  differences  in  structure  of 
the  alimentary  canal  are  of  comparatively  small  im- 
portance. 

In  dealing  with  diseases  of  the  digestive  sj-stem,  it 
should  always  be  remembered  that  most  of  them  are 
caused  by  improper  food  or  feeding,  and  these  sources 
of  trouble  should  be  carefullv  scrutinized. 


246  The    Care    of  Animals 

SORE   MOUTH 

Sore  mouth  in  domestic  animals  usually  results  from 
injuries,  irritating  foods,  or  germs  of  disease  which 
gain  entrance,  grow,  and  cause  canker  sores  on  the 
membranes  or  tongue.  Among  other  causes  may  be 
mentioned  irritating  medicines  that  burn  the  mouth, 
harsh  bits,  projecting  molars,  or  diseased  teeth. 

The  first  symptom  of  sore  mouth  is  usually  a  dis- 
inclination, or  inability,  to  eat  properlj',  especially  of 
coarse  food.  The  horse  may  "gaunt  up,"  and  in  some 
cases  there  is  a  discharge  of  saliva,  either  watery  or 
frothy,  and  sometimes  the  tongue  is  swollen  so  that  it 
protrudes  from  the  mouth. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  remove  the  cause, 
if  it  can  be  determined.  The  animal  should  have  soft 
food,  gruels,  milk  and  mashes.  The  mouth  should 
be  thoroughly  washed  out  with  warm  water  and  a  mild 
healing  lotion  applied  with  a  sponge  or  soft  cloth:  a 
strong  solution  of  alum,  or  tincture  chlorid  of  iron, 
two  teaspoonfuls  to  one -half  pint  of  water.  These 
can  be  applied  three  times  daily.  Allowing  the  animal 
to  lick  a  little  salt  three  times  daily  is  also  excellent. 
Corrosive  sublimate  or  other  poisonous  remedies  should 
not  be  used,  except  under  competent  advice,  as  there 
is  danger  of  poisoning. 

Infectious    Sore    Mouth    of   Cattle 

This  disease  attacks  cattle  of  all  ages,  and  appears 
to  be  contagious,  although  it  does  not  spread  rapidly; 
often  only  one  or  two  cases  will  occur  in  a  large  herd. 


Infectious    Sore    Mouth  247 

In  some  instances  a  dozen  young  cattle  running  together 
will  all  be  attacked  by  the  disease. 

The  first  symptom  usually  noticed  is  inability  or 
disinclination  to  eat.  There  is  also  a  profuse  discharge 
of  saliva  that  drips  from  the  mouth,  often  frothy,  due 
to  the  working  of  the  jaws  and  tongue.  Raw,  depressed 
sores  appear  on  the  inside  of  the  lips  and  cheeks,  as 
well  as  on  the  tongue,  gums  and  pad  of  the  upper  jaw. 
In  most  cases  the  tissue  seems  to  slough  out,  and 
the  sores  are  covered  in  the  center  with  dark -colored 
dead  tissues,  whence  the  popular  term,  "black -tongue." 
The  edges  of  the  sore  are  raw  and  inflamed  and  often 
contain  a  little  pus.  In  some  cases  the  sores  are  re- 
ported to  be  so  extensive  that  the  teeth  drop  out;  in 
others,  the  tongue  is  swollen  so  severel}-  that  it  pro- 
trudes from  the  mouth.  Associated  with  the  soreness 
of  the  mouth  there  is  inflammation  of  the  front  feet. 
The  feet  are  hot  to  the  touch,  and  tender  to  walk  upon, 
and  the  animal  appears  so  stiff  in  the  fore  legs  that 
it  can  move  only  with  difficulty.  There  is  a  fever 
accompanying  the  disease,  the  temperature  rising,  in 
most  cases,  to  105°  F.  All  animals  fall  away  rapidly 
in  flesh  because  of  their  inability  to  eat,  and  in  cows 
the  milk  flow  is  lessened. 

Sick  animals  should  be  isolated  from  the  herd  and 
fed  on  soft,  nutritious  foods,  such  as  mashes,  gruel, 
and  the  like.  If  left  in  pastures  they  may  starve,  be- 
cause  they  cannot  eat. 

The  mouth  should  be  swabbed  out  two  or  three 
times  daily  with  a  saturated  (all  that  water  will  dis- 
solve) solution  of  borax,  applied  with  a  sponge  or  soft 


248  The    Care    of  Animah 

cloth.     The    solution   of   a  tablespoonful   of  alum   dis- 
solved  in  a  pint  of  water  is  also  excellent." 

Practicall}'  all  cases  make  a  good  recovery  if  they 
are  cared  for  and  carefully  fed.  The  greatest  loss  is 
due  to  the  falling  away  in  flesh.  Milk  from  affected 
cows  should  not  be  used  for  human  food,  nor  fed  to 
calves.  This  disorder  is  not  the  contagious  foot-and- 
mouth  disease  of  Europe,  an  account  of  which  will  be 
found  in  Chapter  XVI. 

DISEASED     AND     ABNORMAL     TEETH 

All  domestic  animals  are  subject  to  diseases  of  the 
teeth,  but  horses  are  most  frequently  affected.  Com- 
mon difficulties  are  decayed  and  ulcerated  teeth  ;  while 
split  or  broken,  and  irregular  or  projecting  teeth  cause 
much  trouble.  In  horses  and  cattle,  there  is  a  constant 
wearing  away  of  the  molars,  or  "grinders."  This  keeps 
the  edges  sharp  so  the  food  can  be  ground  properly. 
If,  for  any  reason,  a  tooth  does  not  come  into  proper 
contact  with  its  opposite,  there  is  nothing  to  wear  it 
away.  As  a  result,  it  grows  out  long,  and  often  strikes 
and  lacerates  the  soft  tissues  of  the  opposite  jaw  (Fig. 
48) .  This  causes  severe  pain  and  interferes  seriously  with 
the  animal's  eating.  When  the  front  teeth,  or  incisors, 
of  horses  do  not  come  evenly  together,  it  will  be  found 
that  the  lower  jaw  is  drawn  too  far  back.  This  causes 
the  back  parts  of  the  upper  incisors  to  be  worn  away 
and  the  front  edges  to  shut  over  the  lower  ones,  like 
a  parrot's  bill;  hence  the  term,  "parrot-mouth."  Fig.  47. 
The  symptoms  of  diseased  teeth  are:   difficulty  in  chew- 


Diseased    Teeth  249 

Ing  the  food,  which  is  shown  by  holding  the  head  on 
one  side;  "quidding"  the  food,  that  is,  chewing  up 
quids  and  spitting  them  out;  and  "driving  on  one  line." 
Frequently  an  animal  will  stop  eating 
suddenly ;  or,  when  drinking  cold 
water,  will  stop  and  slobber  the  water, 
evincing  pain.  In  many  cases  of  dis- 
eased molars,  the  saliva  has  a  disagree- 
able, fetid  odor. 

When  there  is  much  difficulty  and 
pain  in  eating,  the  animal  falls  away 
in  flesh.  In  horses  that  are  subject  ^'^■'^'^-  Parrot-mouth. 
to  attacks  of  colic  or  indigestion  the  teeth  should 
always  be  examined,  as  the  trouble  may  be  due  to 
improper  mastication  of  the  food.  When  the  roots 
of  molars  are  ulcerated,  the  swelling  often  breaks 
and  discharges  pus  from  an  opening  on  the  side  of 
the  face  or  the  bottom  of  the  lower  jaw;  these  open- 
ings rarely  heal  permanently  until  the  ulcerated  tooth 
is  removed. 

Ulcerated,  decayed,  split  and  badly  broken  teeth 
should  be  extracted  with  forceps,  never  punched  out, 
as  the  latter  method  is  likely  to  break  the  tooth,  leaving 
pieces  of  the  roots  in  the  jaw,  where  they  cannot  be 
removed  and  are  a  source  of  much  trouble.  It  is 
sometimes  necessary,  however,  to  trephine  or  cut  a 
hole  through  the  jaw-bone,  and  then  punch  the 
tooth  out.  After  such  an  operation,  only  milk  and 
gruels  should  be  allowed  for  ten  days,  as  solid  food  is 
liable  to  get  into  the  wound  and  keep  it  from  healing. 
In  all  cases  of  removal  of  a  tcoth,  the  opposite  tooth 


250 


The    Care    of  Animals 


should  be  filed  off  at  least  once  a  j-ear.  A  parrot-mouth 
should  be  kept  filed  off  level.  Irregular  and  projecting 
teeth  should  be  cut  off  or  filed  off  with  a  "float,"  until 
even  with  the  rest  of  the  set. 

Tn  horses  and  cattle,  however,  the  ''table,"  or  grind- 


Fig.  48.     Projecting  molars  of  horse. 

ing  surface  of  the  teeth,  is  naturally  rough  and  sharp. 
It  should  not  be  filed  except  to  remove  prominent 
irregularities. 

Horses'  teeth  should  be  carefully  examined  and 
attended  to  at  least  once  a  j-ear.  The  practice  of  itin- 
erant "veterinary  dentists,"  of  "fixing"  them  whether 
they  need  it  or  not,  is  bad.  These  fellows  often  do 
horses  more  harm  than  good. 


Wolf- teeth    and    CrihUng  251 

WOLF -TEETH 

"  Wolf  -  teeth "  are  small  extra  molars,  frequently 
found  in  front  of  the  first  grinders  on  the  upper,  and 
rarely  on  the  lower,  jaw  of  horses.  They  are  believed 
to  be  rudimentary^  molars,  pointing  us  back  to  pre- 
historic horses,  fossil  remains  of  which  are  found  with 
teeth  extending  in  an  unbroken  row  around  the  jaws. 
Probably  one -half  the  horses  under  seven  years  of  age 
have  them.  There  is  a  popular  idea  that  wolf -teeth 
make  a  horse  go  blind,  but  this  is  not  true.  They 
have  no  more  connection  with  a  horse's  eyes  than  any 
other  teeth  do. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  wolf -teeth  drawn  (not 
punched  out),  as  they  are  of  no  use  to  the  animal  and 
a  bit  may  draw  against  them  and  make  the  mouth  sore. 
When  these  teeth  are  punched  out,  the  roots  are  likelj' 
to  break  off  and  remain  in  the  jaw,  and  become  a  source 
of  irritation. 

CRIBBING 

Cribbing,  or  "crib -biting,"  is  a  habit  that  some 
horses  have  of  grasping  some  object,  biting  it  lightly, 
and  at  the  same  time  contracting  the  muscles  of  the 
neck  and  emitting  a  peculiar  grunt,  frequenth'  sucking 
in  air  at  the  same  time.  Such  horses  are  called  "wind- 
suckers."  Sometimes  the  horse  will  simply  press  the 
incisor  teeth  against  the  object;  and,  in  rare  cases,  he 
will  arch  the  neck  and  suck  air  without  biting  anything. 
Cribbing  is  a  habit  or  vice.     In  chronic  cases,  the  front 


252  The    Care    of  Animals 

edges  of  the   incisor  teeth  become  beveled  by  repeated 
biting.     Fig.  49 

It  is  seldom  that  a  horse  will  crib  on  iron.  By 
covering  mangers  and  other  stable  fittings  with  iron, 
the  horse  will  cease  cribbing  in  the  stall. 
A  box -stall  withont  manger  or  projecting 
wood  will  prevent  the  horse  cribbing  in  the 
stable.  In  ordinary  cases,  a  broad  strap, 
buckled  firmly  about  the  neck,  will  stop 
cribbing.  The  strap  should  be  carefully 
adjusted,  so  it  will  be  just  tight  enough  to 
inoisor  teeth  of  a  prevent  the  coutractiou  of  the  muscles  of 
bad  cribber.  f.|^g  ncck.  The  Strap  should  be  removed 
when  the  horse  is  in  use.  Sawing  or  wedging  the 
incisor  teeth  is  a  bad  practice,  as  it  stops  the  habit 
only  while  the  teeth  are  sore.  The  membrane  attach- 
ing the  tongue  to  the  floor  of  the  mouth  is  frequently 
cut  to  stop  cribbing,  but  its  effects  are  usually  tem- 
porary. 

PAROTIDITIS 

This  is  an  inflammation  of  the  parotid  gland.  There 
are  two  of  these  glands,  one  on  either  side  of  the  neck, 
just  below  the  ear.  A  contagious  disease  of  similar 
glands    in    man    is    known    as    mumps. 

Parotiditis  may  be  produced  by  injuries  to  the 
glands.  In  some  ceases,  it  may  be  caused  by  the  throat- 
strap  being  too  tight,  or  from  pulling  on  the  halter 
or  tie-strap.  A  sudden  change  of  food,  especially  of 
pasture,  may  be  the  cause. 

Hot  fomentations  should  be  used,  to  reduce  the  in- 


Diseases   of  Salivary    Glands  253 

flammatiou.  These  should  be  followed  b}'  applicatioDS 
of  iodine  ointment,  tincture  of  iodine,  or  a  good,  stimu- 
lating liniment,  well  rubbed  in.  If  there  is  difficulty  in 
swallowing,  soft  foods,  gruels  and  milk  should  be  given. 
In  rare  cases,  the  gland  suppurates,  or  ''gathers."  As 
soon  as  pus  can  be  felt,  an  opening  should  be  made, — 
ver}' carefully,  as  there  are  important  blood-vessels  in 
this  region.  The  pus  should  be  washed  out,  and  mild 
antiseptics  injected,  such  as  a  solution  of  bichlorid  of 
mercury  (one  part  to  1,000  parts  of  water),  or  a  three 
per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid. 

SALIVARY   CALCULUS 

The  duct  that  carries  the  saliva  from  the  gland  to 
the  mouth  passes  under  the  jaw,  winds  outward  over 
the  lower  jaw-bone  and  empties  opposite  the  third 
molar.  Sometimes  a  hard  mass,  or  concretion,  com- 
posed of  salts  of  lime,  called  a  "calculus,"  forms  in  the 
duct,  and  stops  the  saliva  from  passing  into  the  mouth. 

The  calculus  may  be  removed  by  working  it  out  into 
the  mouth,  or  a  surgical  operation  may  be  required. 
Great  care  must  be  taken  in  the  latter  case  to  prevent  a 
fistula  forming,  which  will  allow  the  saliva  to  escape  on 
the  outside,  instead  of  into  the  mouth.  When  such 
fistulas  do  form,  it  is  often  necessary  to  destroy  the 
gland  by  injecting  iodine  or  nitric  acid  into  it  through 
the  duct. 

SALIVATION,  OR   SLOBBERING 

This  is  an  excessive  discharge  of  saliva  from  the 
mouth.      It   is    frequently    seen    in    horses,   cattle    and 


254  The    Care    of  Animals 

dogs.  It  is  usually  associated  with  nausea  and  vomiting. 
In  dogs,  it  is  one  symptom  of  dumb  rabies.  Salivation 
may  be  caused  by  bad  food,  drugs,  sore  mouth,  fre- 
quently by  bad  teeth,  or  by  choking  and  paralysis  of 
some  parts  of  the  head  or  throat. 

In  all  cases  the  cause  of  the  difficulty  should  be 
carefully  sought  and  removed.  When  the  gland  is  dis- 
eased iodine  should  be  applied,  either  as  the  tincture, 
painted  on,  or  as  the  ointment,  rubbed  in.  Iodide  of 
potassium  in  one -dram  doses,  once  daily,  is  excellent 
for  horses  and  cattle  when  there  is  paralysis.  It  should 
not  be  given  longer  than  four  days. 

SORE     THROAT 

Sore  throat  is  an  irritation  or  inflammation  of  the 
pharynx  or  the  larynx.  It  may  result  from  irritating 
substances  swallowed,  or  it  may  be  caused  by  bacteria 
growing  on  the  surface  or  within  the  mucous  membrane 
which  lines  these  cavities.  Sore  throat  is  often  asso- 
ciated with  some  acute  disease,  such  as  distemper  or 
influenza  in  colts  and  horses. 

The  most  prominent  and  common  symptoms  of  sore 
throat  are  inability  to  swallow,  especially  coarse  foods, 
except  with  difficulty.  In  drinking,  more  or  less  water 
will  run  out  through  the  nose.  The  animal  carries  the 
head  with  the  nose  protruded,  and  there  is  frequently 
a  cough,  either  dry  or  moist.  The  throat  is  frequently 
swollen  oil  the  outside  and  is  tender  under  manipula- 
tion. 

Give  soft  foods  and  gruels,  as  for  sore  mouth;   apply 


Sore    Throat  255 

hot  fomentations  to  the  throat,  and  after  drying  rub  with 
a  stimulating  liniment  twice  daily.  When  the  throat 
begins  to  get  sore  on  the  outside,  withhold  the  treat- 
ment for  a  few  days.  Two  tablespoonfuls  of  the  solu- 
tion of  tincture  of  iron,  recommended  for  sore  mouth 
(page  2-16),  is  good  for  sore  throat,  and  it  may  be  given 
three  times  daily.  A  tablespoonful  of  chlorate  of  potash 
finely  pulverized  and  made  into  a  paste  with  molasses 
and  flour  is  excellent.  A  teaspoonful  of  the  paste 
should  be  daubed  on  the  back  teeth  with  a  small  paddle, 
so  that  the  horse  will  not  swallow  it  all  at  once;  this 
can  be  given  every  six  hours  for  a  day  or  two. 

CHOKING 

Choking  is  a  closing  of  the  esophagus  with  some 
foreign  body  or  from  spasm.  It  occurs  most  frequently 
in  cows,  but  nearly  all  domestic  animals  are  subject  to  it. 

The  most  frequent  cause  of  choking  is  the  attempt 
to  swallow  some  hard  body  without  crushing  it,  such 
as  an  apple,  turnip  or  similar  object.  In  dogs  and 
cats,  bones  are  the  most  frequent  cause  of  choking. 
Horses  and  cattle  are  frequently  choked  by  bolting  dry 
feed  without  first  thoroughly  wetting  it  with  saliva. 
Some  animals  are  predisposed  to  choke;  in  such  cases 
there  is  probably  a  constriction  or  narrowing  of  the 
esophagus  at  the  point  of  obstruction. 

The  animal  first  stops  feeding  and  makes  frequent 
attempts  at  swallowing.  Saliva  drips  from  the  mouth, 
the  neck  is  arched,  and  the  muscles  contracted.  A 
horse  frequently  emits   a  peculiar   shriek.     When   the 


256  The    Care    of  Animals 

obstruction  is  located  in  tiie  horse's  chest-cavity  there 
are  few  symptoms  except  inability  to  swallow  food. 
Dogs  and  cats  often  attempt  to  vomit.  In  cattle  there 
is  a  tendency  to  bloat  in  an  hour  or  so  after  choking. 

The  proper  treatment  is  to  remove  the  obstruction 
by  getting  it  up,  if  possible;  if  not,  by  pushing  it 
down.  When  neither  effort  is  successful,  one  should 
remove  the  object  by  a  surgical  operation.  If  the 
obstacle  is  in  the  throat  outside  of  the  body  cavity  it 
can  usually  be  seen  or  felt  as  a  swelling  on  the  left 
side  of  the  neck.  In  such  cases  it  should  be  worked 
up  to  the  throat,  and  while  an  assistant  holds  it  firmly 
to  prevent  it  from  slipping  back,  the  operator  should 
reach  down  the  animal's  throat  and  remove  the  object. 
In  the  cow^  and  dog  this  is  not  difficult;  but  in  the 
horse  it  is  necessar}-  to  use  a  speculum,  or  other  instru- 
ment, to  keep  the  mouth  open  and  to  prevent  the 
operator  from  being  bitten.  If  the  obstacle  cannot 
be  removed  in  this  way,  it  should  be  pushed  down  to 
the  stomach;  frequently,  if  started  slightly  from  the 
outside,  it  will  pass  down  without  any  other  assistance. 
Sterilized  (boiled)  water  can  often  be  injected  into  the 
mass  near  its  lower  border  by  inserting  a  hypodermic 
syringe  through  the  tissues  from  the  outside,  and  thus 
soften  and  assist  in  breaking  up  the  mass. 

Where  the  lump  can  not  be  felt  in  the  thi\)at  it  is 
necessary  to  push  it  down  with  a  "probang,"  a  smooth, 
flexible  tube  or  rod,  about  six  feet  long.  This  is  in- 
serted through  the  mouth,  and  the  obstruction  gently 
pushed  down  to  the  stomach.  In  the  horse,  precaution 
should  be  taken  to  prevent  his  biting  the  probang  in 


Choking  257 

two,  and  swallowing  the  lower  part.  When  this  instru- 
ment cannot  be  obtained,  an  excellent  substitute  is  a 
piece  of  three -fourths  or  one -inch  rubber  hose,  five  or 
six  feet  long.  The  hose  can  be  stiffened  by  drawing 
a  piece  of  rope  through  it,  and  cutting  it  off  even 
with  the  end.  If  hose  is  not  to  be  had,  a  smooth  buggy 
whip  can  be  used,  passing  it  down  butt  end  first. 

If  the  obstacle  cannot  be  gotten  either  up  or  down, 
and  if  it  is  where  it  can  be  reached  from  the  outside, 
the  only  way  left  to  remove  it  is  by  the  assistance  of 
a  good  surgeon.  The  animal  should  be  confined,  and 
an  incision  made  through  the  skin  and  muscles.  This 
incision  is  pushed  to  one  side,  and  an  incision  made 
through  the  esophagus,  or  gullet.  This  is  done  so 
that  the  two  incisions  will  not  come  opposite  when 
they  are  closed.  After  the  incisions  are  made,  and 
the  obstacle  removed,  the  parts  are  washed  clean  and 
the  esophagus  closed  by  sewing  with  catgut,  the 
stitches  being  taken  close  together.  Afterward,  antisep- 
tics are  used  on  the  wound,  and  the  outside  wound  is 
closed  by  sewing  the  skin  and  muscles  with  silk.  It  is 
now  treated  as  a  simple  wound.  No  solid  food  should 
be  given  till  the  wound  heals,  as  a  bad  running  sore,  or 
fistula,  is  likely  to  be  formed.  Sweet  milk  with  raw 
eggs  beaten  in  it  is  excellent;  gruels  and  mashes  maj' 
be  giv^n  when  the  parts  have  united. 

Horses  that  are  subject  to  choking  on  dry  food 
should  not  be  allowed  to  eat  rapidly.  This  can  be  pre- 
vented by  arranging  the  feed -box  so  that  he  can  get  but 
a  small  amount  at  a  mouthful.  Smooth  round  stones 
may  be   placed  in  the   feed -box.     Iron   feed -boxes   are 


258  The    Care    of  Animals 

especially  designed  for  this  purpose.  Spreading  the 
food  out  thin  in  a  manger  or  on  the  floor  will  usually 
prevent  choking. 

STOMACH    STAGGERS 

This  disease  occurs  in  horses.  It  appears  to  be  a 
congestion  of  the  brain,  due  to  an  engorged  stomach 
and  active  exercise.  The  stomach,  distended  with  food, 
presses  on  the  diaphragm,  or  "midriff,"  to  such  an 
extent  that  when  the  animal  is  exercised  the  action  of 
the  lungs  and  heart  is  interfered  with,  the  brain  be- 
comes congested,  and  the  animal  partially  or  completely 
loses  consciousness.  Some  horses  are  subject  to  fre- 
quent attacks  of  this  disease;  such  animals  are  usually 
greedy  feeders. 

The  attack  usually  occurs  soon  after  feeding.  The 
horse,  on  being  driven  or  otherwise  exercised  violentlj^ 
becomes  distressed  for  breath  and  perspires  freely. 
There  is  an  anxious  expression  on  his  countenance. 
He  is  unwilling  or  unable  to  go,  even  when  urged. 
When  forced  to  move,  he  goes  with  a  staggering  gait, 
and  stands  with  his  legs  braced;  sometimes  he  falls  and 
is  unable  to  rise. 

Make  the  horse  as  comfortable  as  possible  ;  loosen 
the  harness  so  it  will  not  check  the  circulation  of  the 
blood;  if  possible,  turn  his  head  toward  the  wind. 
Blanket  the  horse  warmly,  and  rub  his  legs  briskly  to 
get  the  blood  from  the  heart  and  lungs  toward  the 
outside  of  the  body.  Cold  water  dashed  on  the  head 
is  good.     Two  ounces  of  essence  of  Jamaica  ginger  in 


stomach    Staggers  259 

warm  water  may  be  given  as  a  drench,  and  repeated 
in  thirty  minutes,  if  necessary.  The  bowels  should  be 
emptied  by  giving  an  enema, —  an  injection  of  warm 
slightly  soapy  water.  After  the  acute  symptoms  have 
subsided,  a  ball  of  five  to  eight  drams  of  aloes  should 
be  given,  to  move  the  bowels.  In  most  cases,  stomach 
staggers  can  be  prevented  by  careful  feeding  and  proper 
exercise. 

IMPACTION    OF   THE    RUMEN 

This  trouble  occurs  in  cattle,  and  is  due  to  the  filling 
up  of  the  paunch  with  indigestible  material,  such  as 
weeds,  dead  grass,  pieces  of  cloth  or  other  foreign 
materials.  It  is  probable  that  in  many  cases  there  is 
indigestion,  associated  with  a  depraved  appetite,  pre- 
ceding the  impaction. 

The  animal  does  not  eat,  but  stands  around  with 
the  back  slightly  arched,  the  breathing  slightly  in- 
creased in  frequency,  and  perhaps  a  slight  grunt  with 
each  respiration  ;  later,  there  maj^  be  some  bloating. 
If  the  cow  lies  down,  it  is  usually  on  the  right  side. 
The  milk  secretion  is  lessened  and  the  cow  grinds  her 
teeth.  A  heavy,  hard  mass  can  be  felt  low  down  on 
the  left  side. 

Give  a  mild,  stimulating  purgative,  of  three -fourths 
of  a  pound  of  Epsom  salts  and  two  ounces  of  ginger 
dissolved  in  four  quarts  of  warm  water,  administered 
as  a  drench.  Plenty  of  water  should  be  given  to  drink 
and  enemas  of  warm  water  to  move  the  bowels.  If 
the  animal  will  take  food,  give  gruels  and  soft  masbes, 


260  The    Care    of  Animals 

If  medicines  fail  to  give  relief,  the  only  remedy  is  to 
perform  "rumenotomy" — that  is,  to  cut  into  the  paunch 
and  remove  its  contents  through  the  incision.  A  skilled 
surgeon  should  be  employed.  The  animal  should  be 
confined  with  the  right  side  to  the  wall,  and  the  inci- 
sion made  on  the  left  side,  half  way  between  the  point 
of  the  hip  and  the  last  rib,  extending  downward  five 
or  six  inches.  An  incision  is  then  made  in  the  rumen, 
a  thin  cloth  being  introduced  into  the  wound,  to  pre- 
vent the  material  from  dropping  into  the  abdominal 
cavity.  The  contents  of  the  rumen  are  then  removed 
with  the  hand,  the  parts  washed  clean,  the  rumen  well 
sewed  up  with  catgut,  the  stitches  close  together,  and 
the  skin  and  muscles  then  sewed.  No  food  should  be 
allowed  for  twenty -four  hours  following  the  opera- 
tion, and,  after  this,  only  milk  and  gruels  for  ten  days. 
Coarse  food  is  likely  to  get  into  the  wound  and  prevent 
its  healing. 

HOVEN,  OR  BLOATING  IN  CATTLE 

Hoven  is  a  distension  of  the  paunch,  or  rumen,  with 
gas.  It  is  liable  to  occur  when  cattle  are  pastured  on 
clover  or  alfalfa,  especially  if  the  growth  is  rank,  and 
from  eating  frozen  roots  or  pumpkins,  but  may  occur  on 
other  kinds  of  pasture.  The  tendency  to  produce  bloat- 
ing seems  to  be  greater  vv'hen  the  pastures  are  wet  with 
dew  or  rain,  or  when  the  food  is  frozen.  Fermentation 
proceeds  rapidly,  the  gas  does  not  all  escape  and  soon 
distends  the  rumen  to  a  large  size. 

Slight  bloating  often  occurs  when  cattle  are  suffering 


Bloat    in    Cattle  261 

from  indigestion,  impaction  of  the  rumen  with  undi- 
gested food,  or  from  choking,  but  in  these  cases  the  gas 
passes  away  as  soon  as  the  cause  of  the  disease  is 
removed. 

Bloating  is  easily  recognized  from  the  prominent 
symptoms.  The  first  one  is  usually  that  the  animal 
stands  off  by  itself  and  refuses  to  eat.  Upon  examina- 
tion, the  belly  is  found  to  be  greatly  distended,  par- 
ticularly on  the  left  side,  that  part  bulging  outward 
and  upward  like  a  dome.  The  animal  stands  humped 
up  and  breathes  with  difficulty,  often  emitting  a  grunt 
or  moan  as  it  breathes.  There  is  often  a  dripping  of 
saliva  from  the  mouth.  There  may  be  colicky  pains 
shown  by  the  animal's  stepping  uneasily  about,  or  kick- 
ing at  the  belly.  The  rectum  sometimes  protrudes, 
owing  to  the  internal  pressure  of  the  gas.  As  the 
bloating  increases,  the  animal  may  stagger  and  fall. 
In  hoven,  the  animal  may  die  from  suffocation,  or,  as 
it  loses  consciousness,  it  may  fall  and  rupture  some  of 
the  stomachs  or  other  organs  subjected  to  the  excessive 
pressure  of  gas. 

The  method  of  treatment  will  depend  upon  the  con- 
dition of  the  animal.  If  the  bloating  is  severe,  so  that 
there  is  danger  of  the  animal's  suffocating  or  falling, 
the  side  should  be  tapped  at  once.  This  is  done  after 
confining  the  animal  by  tying  the  head.  A  small  in- 
cision is  then  made  through  the  skin  over  the  most 
prominent  part  of  the  swelling  on  the  left  side,  about 
half  way  between  the  point  of  the  hip  and  the  last  rib. 
Two  instruments,  called  a  "trocar"  and  a  "canula,"  are 
then   inserted   through   the  hole  in  the  skin,  directed 


262 


The    Care    of  Animals 


downward  and  forward,  and  pushed  into  the  rumen. 
Fig.  50.  The  trocar  is  withdrawn,  leaving  the  canula 
in  the  opening  for  the  escape  of  gas.  The  gas  will 
rush  out,  and  often  bring  with  it  a  small 
amount  of  partially -digested  food.  Should  the 
gas  not  escape,  push  the  trocar  into  the  canula, 
to  clear  out  the  food.  In  some  cases,  it  is 
necessary  to  withdraw  the  trocar  and  canula, 
change  its  direction  and  insert  it  again,  using 
the  same  opening  in  the  skin.  In  the  absence 
of  a  trocar  and  canula,  a  pocket-knife  can 
be  used,  care  being  taken  to  direct  the  edge 
of  the  blade  dow^nward,  so  that,  if  the  animal 
jumps,  too  large  an  incision  will  not  be  made. 
If  the  case  is  not  so  serious,  medicinal  re- 
medies will  usually  give  relief.  Place  a  large 
L-  wooden  bit,  about  the  size  of  a  fork  handle, 
\i  on  which  some  pine  tar  may  be  daubed,  in 
the  mouth  and  hold  it  in  place  by  a  rope 
back  of  the  horns.  After  the  bit  is  secured, 
a  small  handful  of  salt,  thrown  well  back  in 
the  mouth,  causes  the  animal  to  work  the  tongue,  stimu- 
lates the  flow  of  sa'liva,  and  promotes  the  regurgitation, 
or  gulping  up  of  gas.  A  piece  of  tarred  rope,  tied 
through  the  mouth  and  back  of  the  horns,  is  ex- 
cellent. Turpentine,  in  two -ounce  doses  for  adult 
cattle,  is  a  good  remedy;  but  it  must  be  well  diluted 
with  milk,  to  prevent  injuring  the  animal.  Hyposul- 
fite  of  soda,  in  ounce  doses  dissolved  in  water,  is 
good,  as  is  finely  pulverized  charcoal  in  heaping  table- 
spoonful  doses.     Cold  water   may  be   dashed   over  the 


Fig.  50. 

Trocar 

and  canula 


Bloat    in    Caffle  268 

body,  or  cold,  wet  blankets  may  be  put  on  and  then 
covered  with  dry  blankets.  Aromatic  spirits  of  ammo- 
nia, given  in  ounce  doses  in  water  as  a  drench,  is  ex- 
cellent. Essence  of  Jamaica  ginger  should  be  used  in 
four -ounce  doses  well  diluted  with  hot  water.  Common 
baking  soda  is  good,  in  two-tablespoonful  doses  in 
water,  as  a  drench.  Gentle  walking  exercise  should  be 
given.  Enemas  of  warm,  soapy  w^ater  should  be  given, 
to  empty  the  bowels. 

Since  there  is  danger  of  bloating  in  turning  cattle 
into  luxuriant  pasture,  they  should  always  be  well  fed 
with  some  dry  hay  or  similar  food  before  the  change 
is  made.  Keep  them  from  the  pasture  until  the  dew  or 
frost  is  off.  In  turning  cattle  on  heavy  pastures,  they 
should  graduallj'  become  accustomed  to  the  change  bj^ 
being  turned  in  for  twenty  minutes  the  first  day,  and 
the  time  gradually  extended  each  day.  Dry  hay  or 
similar  material  in  such  a  pasture  is  excellent  to  pre- 
vent bloating,  as  cattle  seem  to  crave  it.  Animals  that 
show  a  tendency  to  bloat  should  be  carefully  watched, 
as  there  seems  to  be  some  indigestion  in  most  of  such 
cases. 

GORGING   WITH   GRAIN 

It  sometimes  occurs  that  animals,  especially  horses 
and  cattle,  gain  access  to  quantities  of  grain  and  injure 
themselves  by  eating  an  excessive  amount.  Acute 
indigestion,  and  even  death,  may  follow. 

A  purgative  should  be  given  at  once;  for  the  horse, 
a  quart  of  raw  linseed  oil,  and  for  cattle  either  a  quart 


264  The    Care    of  Animals 

of  oil  or  three -fourths  to  a  pouud  of  Epsom  salts. 
These  should  be  g:iven  as  drenches.  Enemas  of  warm 
soapy  water,  or  warm  water  and  glycerine,  should  be 
given,  to  empty  the  bowels.  Other  food  should  be 
withheld,  unless  hay  or  other  rough  material  seems  to  be 
craved,  when  a  little  may  be  supplied.  If  the  animal 
is  thirsty,  a  small  quantity  of  water  can  be  given  from 
time  to  time  until  the  thirst  is  quenched.  It  is  best 
not  to  give  too  large  doses  of  purgatives,  as  severe 
purging  often  follows  gorging;  the  animal  being  unable 
to  digest  it,  the  grain  acts  as  an  irritant  to  the  bowels. 
After  the  acute  symptoms  have  subsided  and  the  diges- 
tive system  is  free  from  the  excess  of  grain,  the  animal 
should  be  fed  sparingly  for  several  days,  until  the 
alimentary  canal  has  recovered  from  the  severe  strain 
to  which  it  has  been  subjected. 

INDIGESTION    IN   HORSES 

Indigestion  is  one  of  the  most  common  diseases  of 
the  digestive  system  of  the  horse.  It  may  be  caused  by 
the  failure  of  both  the  stomach  and  the  small  intestine 
to  properly  digest  the  food.  This  brings  on  abdominal 
pain  and  general   illness  that  may  last  for  some  days. 

Indigestion  may  be  induced  by  indigestible  or  bad 
food,  by  improper  feeding,  by  diseases  or  injuries  to  the 
mouth  or  teeth  which  prevent  the  proper  mastication 
of  the  food,  by  hard  work  or  active  exercise  soon  after 
feeding,  or  by  insufficient  exercise.  It  may  also  result 
from  disease  of  any  organs  upon  which  the  process  of 
digestion  depends. 


Indigestion    in    Horses  265 

Indigestion  may  occur  either  in  a  mild  or  an  acute 
form.  In  the  mild  form  the  horse  refuses  his  usual 
food,  appears  sluggish  and  often  lies  down,  but  does 
not  seem  to  suffer  acute  pain.  Frequently,  the  horse 
will  paw  the  ground  and  look  around  toward  his  flank. 

For  mild  cases  but  little  treatment  is  necessary, 
Give  a  light,  laxative  diet,  and  allow  the  digestive 
system  to  rest  and  recuperate  for  a  few  days.  Bran 
mashes,  fresh  grass,  etc.,  are  usually  sufficient.  Two- 
ounce  doses  of  Jamaica  ginger  in  a  pint  of  moderately 
hot  water,  given  as  a  drench  three  times  daily,  is 
excellent.  If  the  horse  is  out  of  condition,  the  follow- 
ing tonic  "condition"  powders  may  be  given  in  the 
food    when    he    begins    to    eat  : 

Sulfate  of  iron 2  ounces 

Nitrate  of  potash  (saltpeter) 2  ounces 

Gentian  root  (pulverized) 2  ounces 

Nux  vomica  seed  (pulverized) 1  ounce 

Ginger  root  (pulverized) 1  ounce 

These  are  to  be  thoroughly  pulverized  and  mixed, 
and  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  the  mixture  given  in  the 
food  three  times  daily.  In  case  a  horse  will  not  eat 
the  powder,  omit  the  gentian  root  and  add  linseed  meal. 

The  causes  of  acute  indigestion  are  the  same  as  for 
the  mild  form;  the  symptoms  are  similar,  but  more 
severe.  The  horse  suffers  much  pain,  lies  down  fre- 
quently, paws,  looks  tow^ard  his  flank  and  often  stands 
stretched  out,  as  if  to  pass  urine.  This  position  of 
straining,  so  frequent  in  indigestion,  leads  an  ordinary 
observer  to  think  that  there  is  some  difficulty  with  the 
urinary  passage, —  a  rare  occurrence  in  horses.     In  in- 


266  The    Care    of  Animals 

digestion,  the  pain  is  usually  continuous  and  moderate, 
not  coming  on  in  severe  and  intermittent  attacks,  as 
in  colic. 

The  treatment  is  the  same  as  for  mild  indigestion, 
except  that  the  Jamaica  ginger  dose  may  be  repeated 
every  three  hours.  If  the  horse  is  in  much  pain,  an 
ounce  of  laudanum  may  be  given  two  or  three  times 
daily.  Laxative  and  easily  digested  food,  with  careful 
exercise,  are  needed  as  soon  as  the  horse  recovers. 

COLIC   IN   HORSES 

Indigestion  and  colic  are  the  most  common  digestive 
diseases  of  the  horse.  Colic  occurs  in  two  forms  : 
spasmodic,  or  cramp  colic,  and  flatulent,  or  wind  colic. 

Spasmodic  or  cramp  colic  is  a  violent  and  painful 
contraction  of  the  muscular  coats  of  the  bowels.  It 
is  usually  caused  by  some  irritant  in  the  bowels,  such 
as  undigested  food,  or  cold  water  when  the  horse  is 
tired  from  a  long  hard  drive,  exposure  to  cold  w^hich 
chills  the  animal,  a  lack  of  sufficient  exercise,  sudden 
changes  of  diet,  especially  from  dry  to  green  food,  or 
a  large  amount  of  bulky,  indigestible  food  in  the 
bowels. 

The  pain  comes  on  suddenly  and  is  severe.  The 
horse  stops,  points  toward  the  flank  with  his  nose, 
kicks  at  his  belly,  or  throws  himself  down  violently 
and  rolls.  The  breathing  is  rapid,  the  pulse-beats  are 
increased  in  number  and  the  animal  sweats  profusely. 
The  temperature  may  go  up  a  degree  or  two  as  a  result 
of  the  pain  and  exercise.     In  standing,  the  horse  fre- 


Colic    in    Horses  267 

quently  stretches  and  strains  as  if  in  an  attempt  to 
void  urine.  The  pain  usually  ceases  in  a  short  time, 
and  the  animal  appears  quiet  and  free  from  pain,  but 
in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes  to  half  an  hour,  another 
attack,  with  the  same  symptoms,  occurs. 

Get  the  horse  into  a  comfortable  place  where  he 
can  roll  without  injury  to  himself,  give  an  enema 
(injection)  of  six  to  eight  quarts  of  rather  warm  water, 
containing  half  a  teacupful  of  glycerine.  The  enema 
should  be  given  slowly  and  the  horse  allowed  to  retain 
it  as  long  as  possible.  Give  the  animal  one  ounce 
of  laudanum  and  half  an  ounce  of  spirits  of  cam- 
phor, mixed  in  half  a  pint  of  warm  water.  Jamaica 
ginger  in  two -ounce  doses,  or  chloral  hydrate  in  one- 
half  ounce  doses,  dissolved  in  one  half -pint  of  warm 
water,  is  very  good  for  this  trouble.  Another  good 
remedy  is  sweet  spirits  of  niter,  in  ounce  doses. 
Blankets  wrung  out  of  hot  water  and  applied  to  the 
belly  relieve  the  pain,  as  also  does  rubbing  the  belly 
vigorously. 

Medicines  for  spasmodic  colic  should  be  well  diluted 
Avith  hot  water  and  given  as  drenches.  In  case  lau- 
danum is  given,  the  dose  should  not  be  repeated  too 
frequently.  A  tablespoonful  of  common  baking-soda, 
dissolved  in  warm  water  and  given  as  a  drench,  is 
excellent. 

Flatulent  or  "wind"  colic  is  severe  abdominal  pains 
caused  by  the  accumulation  in  the  stomach  or  intes- 
tines of  gases  resulting  from  the   fermenting  of  food. 

It  comes  on  more  gradually  than  spasmodic  colic, 
and   the  pain   is   more   continuous.     The   pain  may  or 


268  The    Care    of  Animals 

may  not  be  severe.  The  gas  tends  to  accumulate  in 
the  large  intestine,  which  lies  on  the  right  side  of 
the  animal.  The  bloating  may  be  severe  enough  to 
interfere  with  the  animal's  breathing.  The  horse  lies 
down,  rolls,  paws,  points  toward  the  flank  with  his 
nose,  and  sweats  profusely.  The  horse  may  roll  on 
his  back,  and  lie  in  this  position;  there  is  often  some 
gas  flatus,  passed  from  the  bowels,  and  sometimes  gas 
may  be  belched  from  the  stomach,  and  escape  through 
the  nostril. 

Enemas  of  warm,  soapy  water,  or  warm  water  and 
glj'Cerine,  are  excellent  for  this,  as  for  spasmodic  colic. 
Allow  the  horse  to  roll,  taking  precautions  that  he 
does  not  injure  himself.  Aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia 
in  ounce  doses  mixed  with  warm  water;  turpentine  in 
ounce  doses  mixed  with  oil  or  warm  milk;  bicarbonate 
(common  baking)  soda,  in  ounce  doses  and  chloral  hy- 
drate in  half-ounce  doses,  are  also  advisable,  as  is  also 
essence  of  Jamaica  ginger. 

In  all  cases  of  colic  or  bowel  trouble  the  cause  should 
be  carefully  looked  for  and  removed.  It  is  generally  a 
good  plan  to  give  a  quart  of  raw  linseed  oil  carefully, 
or  four  to  six  drams  of  aloes  in  a  ball,  to  empty  the 
bowels.  Oil  should  not  be  given  following  chloral, 
on  account  of  the  danger  of  choking.  It  is  an  excellent 
plan  to  diet  the  horse  for  a  few  days,  until  the  dis- 
turbed organs  have  a  chance  to  regain  their  normal 
condition. 

The  following  is  an  excellent  colic  mixture.  It 
should  be  kept  in  a  tightly  corked  bottle  to  prevent 
evaporation : 


Colic   and   Bowel    Obstruction  269 

Chloral  hydrate 2  ounces 

Laudanum 2  ounces 

Sulfuric  ether 1  ounce 

Aromatic  Spirits  of  Ammonia 2  ounces 

Essence  of  Jamaica  gin^^er 4  ounces 

Creolin %  ounce 

Two  tablespoonfuls  in  one-half  pint  of  rather  hot  water 
can  be  given  at  a  dose  and  repeated  in  one -half  hour,  if 
necessary,  for  three  doses,  and  then  one  hour  apart  for 
several  doses,  depending  upon  the  severity  of  the  case. 

OBSTRUCTION     OF     THE     BOWELS    IN    HORSES 

Impaction  of  the  large  intestines  of  the  horse  is 
generally  due  to  feeding  large  quantities  of  coarse, 
indigestible  food,  such  as  marsh  hay,  corn-stover,  or 
straw,  without  laxative  food  and  exercise.  The  large 
intestines  become  filled  with  a  hard  mass  of  partially 
digested  food,  and  sickness  ensues. 

Slight  abdominal  pains  come  on  gradually,  the  horse 
stretches  and  strains,  as  if  to  void  urine,  kicks  at  the 
belly,  and  points  toward  the  flank  with  his  nose. 
He  lies  down,  often  stretched  out  flat  on  his  side, 
remaining  quiet,  with  little  or  no  indication  of  pain. 
An  examination,  made  by  oiling  or  soaping  the  hand 
and  arm  and  inserting  it  in  the  rectum,  proves  the  large 
intestine  to  be  distended  by  a  hard  mass  of  undigested 
food. 

Give  at  once  an  enema  of  warm,  soapy  water,  or 
water  containing  glycerine,  not  too  large  in  amount, 
as  it  is  desirable  that  it  should  be  retained  for  some 
time.     A  quart  of  raw  linseed -oil  as  a  drench  should 


270  The    Care    of  Animals 

be  carefully  given.  The  abdomen  (belly)  should  be 
thoroughly  rubbed  with  a  sort  of  kneading  motion 
and  a  mild  stimulating  liniment  applied,  though  not 
enough  to  blister.  Gentle  exercise,  if  the  horse  is  not 
too  sick,  is  advisable.  Give  him  salt  to  eat,  and  plenty 
of  water.  A  thin  mash  of  scalded  bran  that  he  can 
drink  is  excellent.  Two  ounces  of  essence  of  Jamaica 
ginger  may  be  given,  or  ginger  tea  made  by  putting 
a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  pulverized  ginger  into  a 
pint  of  hot  water,  allowing  it  to  cool,  and  then  giving 
it  as  a  drench.  These  may  be  repeated  every  four 
hours.  Violent  purgatives  should  not  be  resorted  to. 
Give  nature  time  and  a  little  assistance,  and  the  beh>; 
results  will  follow. 

CONCRETIONS,  CALCULI,  HAIR -BALLS,  ETC. 

Hard  masses  of  indigestible  material  are  frequently 
found  in  the  stomachs  and  intestines  of  animals.  In 
some  cases,  these  calculi  are  composed  of  salts  of  lime 
and  have  the  appearance  of  a  stone.  Sometimes  they 
are  a  mixture  of  salts  of  lime,  hair,  beards  of  barley 
or  similar  material  gathered  into  a  hard  mass,  which 
partially  or  completely  close  the  bowel. 

The  symptoms  vary  with  the  nature  of  the  animal 
and  the  location  of  the  calculus,  or  mass ;  but,  in 
general,  they  are  those  of  any  other  stoppage  of  the 
bowels.  In  most  cases,  the  cause  of  the  difficulty  is 
not  recognized  until  after  the  death  of  the  animal. 

In  all  cases  of  stoppage  of  the  bowels,  unless  the 
cause  is  definitely  known,  an  examination  should  always 


Obstruction    of  Bowels  271 

be  made  by  inserting  the  oiled  arm  into  the  rectum.  In 
a  few  cases  the  obstacle  can  be  felt  and  removed. 
When  an  obstruction  of  this  kind  is  suspected,  copious 
enemas,  mild  purgatives,  such  as  raw  linseed  oil,  or 
small  doses  of  Epsom  or  Glauber's  salts,  can  be  given, 
with  plenty  of  water  to  drink  and  fluid  food,  as  gruels, 
etc.  Hair -balls  in  the  rumen  of  cattle  can  be  removed 
by  the  surgical  operation  known  as  rumenotomy  (see 
"Impaction  of  Rumen"  page  260). 

INTUSSUSCEPTION,    OR   INVAGINATION   OF   THE   BOWEL 

In  this  form  of  obstruction,  the  bowel  slips  inside 
itself  Treatment  is  not  satisfactory.  Purgatives  and 
copious  enemas  of  warm  water  are  used.  Inserting  the 
arm  into  the  rectum  and  manipulating  the  large  intes- 
tine with  a  sweeping  movement  of  the  hand  and  arm 
may  straighten  it. 

VOLVULUS,   TWISTING   OF   THE    BOWEL,   '^GUT-TIE " 

In  this  trouble,  the  bowel  becomes  twisted  on  itself 
in  such  a  way  as  to  obstruct  the  passage  of  its  contents. 
The  treatment  is  the  same  as  for  intussusception,  but 
nearly  all  cases  are  fatal. 

INFLAMMATION     OF     THE     BOWELS,    OR     ENTERITIS 

Inflammation  of  the  bowels  is  a  severe  and  usually 
fatal  disease  caused  by  some  irritant,  such  as  undi- 
gested food,  irritating  poiscns,  stoppage  of  the  bowels, 
or   injury    to    the    walls.     Colic,    indigestion,    volvulus 


272  The    Care    of  Animals 

and  calculi,  when  not  promptly  relieved,  are  likely  to 
terminate  in  inflammation  of  the  bowels. 

To  an  ordinary  observer,  manj^  of  the  symptoms  of 
inflammation  of  the  bowels  appear  like  those  of  colic, 
but  the  following  differences  should  be  observed.  In 
inflammation  of  the  bowels  there  is  abdominal  pain,  as 
in  colic,  but  the  pain  is  more  continuous.  In  inflamma- 
tion of  the  bowels  there  is  fever, —  the  temperature 
may  go  from  100°  up  to  105°;  it  is  usually  above 
103°.  The  pulse  is  small,  hard,  "thready,"  and  rapid, 
the  horse  dislikes  to  lie  down,  and,  before  lying 
down,  will  frequently  stand  with  all  four  feet  near 
together,  tread  around  with  the  legs  partially  bent, 
and  hesitate  before  going  down.  When  he  does  lie 
down,  he  does  so  as  gently  as  possible,  getting  down 
on  his  knees,  or  sitting  down  upon  his  haunches  like 
a  dog,  and  remaining  in  this  position  for  some  time. 
In  colic,  presijure  or  kneading  on  the  abdomen  usually 
gives  relief,  but  in  enteritis  pressure  on  the  abdomen 
causes  increased  pain.  In  enteritis,  the  horse  has  an 
anxious,  distressed  expression  of  countenance.  There 
is  a  disposition  to  walk  about  in  a  circle,  pausing  only 
to  paw,  or  to  attempt  to  lie  down. 

Give  laudanum  in  ounce  doses,  combined  with  a 
small  dose  (half  a  pint)  of  raw  linseed  oil,  to  quiet  the 
pain.  Hot  blankets  should  be  applied  to  the  abdomen. 
Gruels  and  linseed  tea  should  be  given  and  the  horse 
should  be  kept  as  quiet  as  possible.  It  is  not  a  good 
plan  to  give  more  than  one  or  two  enemas,  as  they  are 
liable  to  increase  the  irritation  of  the  bowels. 

In  cattle,  inflammation  of  the  bowels  comes  on  more 


Diarrhea  273 

slowly  than  in  horses,  and  the  symptoms  are  not  so 
well  marked.  There  is  abdominal  pain,  not  so  severe 
as  in  the  horse.  It  is  marked  by  persistent  constipation 
and  a  rise  of  temperature  to  105°  or  106°  F.  It  is 
usually  fatal  in  cattle.  The  treatment  is  the  same 
as  for  horses,  except  that  the  doses  for  adult  cattle 
should  be  half  as  much  again. 

DIARRHEA,   SCOURING 

Diarrhea  is  usually  an  effort  of  nature  to  remove 
some  irritant  from  the  bowels.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
common  diseases  of  domestic  animals.  There  are 
frequent  movements  of  the  bowels,  and  discharges  are 
more  thin  and  watery  than  normal,  and  are  often  char- 
acterized by  a  very  disagreeable  odor.  There  may  be  a 
severe  straining,  associated  with  the  passing  of  a  small 
amount  of  dung. 

Diarrhea  may  be  caused  by  bad  food,  by  overfeed- 
ing, by  indigestible  food  or  by  a  sudden  change  of  food. 
Bolting  the  food  without  thorough  mastication,  or  lack 
of  proper  digestive  juices,  may  cause  the  disease.  The 
presence  of  bacteria  in  decomposing  food,  especially 
in  milk  fed  to  young  animals,  is  a  common  cause,  as 
well  as  the  overloading  of  the  stomach  by  infrequent 
feedings  and  too  large  amounts  of  food  given  at  a 
time.  Some  horses  are  predisposed  to  diarrhea,  espe- 
cially when  driving  on  the  road.  Such  horses  are 
called  "slab-sided"  or  "washy"  by  horsemen.  Usually 
their  ribs  are  not  well  "sprung;"  they  have  not  a  round, 
full  "barrel."      There  is  a  common  belief  that  horses 


274  The    Care    of  Animals 

of  light  sorrel,  buckskin  or  dun  color  are  more  subject 
to  diarrhea  than  those  of  more  decided  colors. 

As  diarrhea  is  an  effort  of  nature  to  remove  an 
irritant,  it  follows  that  it  should  not  be  checked  too 
suddenly.  First,  locate  and  remove  the  cause.  A  small 
dose  (about  two  ounces  for  horses  and  cattle,  and  a 
half  ounce  for  calves)  of  castor-oil  combined  with  an 
ounce  of  laudanum,  and  given  as  a  drench  with  a  little 
linseed  gruel  is  excellent.  For  calves  and  lambs,  a 
small  quantity  of  dried  blood  (one  teaspoonful  to  one 
tablespoonful),  given  in  dilute  milk  or  gruel  three  times 
daily,  w411  usually  stop  the  trouble.  For  calves,  it  is 
usually  a  good  plan  to  dilute  the  milk  with  one -third 
lime-w^ater,  and  to  feed  them  frequently,  but  only  small 
amounts  at  a  time.  Parched  flour  added  to  boiled  or 
sterilized  milk  is  also  advisable.  Lime-water  can  be 
made  by  pouring  water  on  fresh  lime.  After  the 
lime  is  slaked  and  settled,  the  water  can  be  poured 
off  and  used.  Essence  of  Jamaica  ginger  well  diluted 
wdth  hot  ^vater  is  very  good.  In  persistent  cases,  use 
an  astringent,  such  as  oak-bark  tea.  This  is  made  by 
steeping  the  inner  bark  of  white  oak.  For  a  horse,  a 
teacupful  of  this  tea  combined  with  an  ounce  of 
laudanum  should  be  given  as  a  drench  twice  daily. 
Horses  that  are  subject  to  diarrhea  while  on  the  road 
should  be  watered  sparingly  before  and  during  the 
drive.  Prepared  chalk  in  one -half  to  ounce  doses  twice 
daily  is  useful  in  such  cases. 


Constipation  275 

CONSTIPATION 

This  condition  is  the  opposite  of  diarrhea  ;  the 
bowels  do  not  move  as  frequently  as  they  should;  the 
feces  (dung)  are  hard  and  dry,  and  are  often  passed 
with  much  effort.  An  animal  suffering  from  constipa- 
tion is  said  to  be  costive,  or  "bound  up." 

Constipation  is  usually  due  to  bad  food,  improper 
feeding,  lack  of  exercise  or  of  sufficient  water,  and  in 
some  cases  to  deficient  secretion  of  digestive  fluids. 
Constipation  is  frequently  associated  with  other  dis- 
orders, especially  with  diseases  of  the  lungs;  under 
these  circumstances  no  special  treatment  is  needed,  as 
the  bowels  will  return  to  their  normal  condition  when 
the  other  disease  is  cured. 

Unless  the  case  is  severe  and  persistent,  violent 
purgatives  should  not  be  used.  Better  results  follow 
the  use  of  laxative  foods,  such  as  thin  bran  mashes, 
fresh  grass  and  linseed  gruels,  combined  with  moderate 
exercise.  Enemas  of  warm,  soapy  water  or  warm  water 
and  glycerine  should  be  injected  to  empty  the  bowels. 
Small  doses  of  castor -oil  and  raw  linseed -oil  are  good. 
In  cattle  and  sheep,  Epsom  salts  is  usually  sufficient. 
In  cases  of  chronic  constipation,  the  following  tonic  for 
the  bowels  is  to  be  recommended:. 

Pulverized  ginger  root 2  ounces 

Pulverized  nux  vomica  seed 2  ounces 

Pulverized  gentian  root 2  ounces 

Sulfur 2  ounces 

Common  salt 8  ounces 

Mix    thoroughly  and   give    a    teaspoonful    in    the    food 
three  times   daily. 


276  The    Care    of  Animals 

WHITE    SCOUR 

This  is  a  severe  and  often  fatal  diarrhea  that  attacks 
calves,  and  rarely  lambs  and  colts.  The  disease  may 
appear  within  a  day  or  twoi  after  the  calf  is  born,  and 
often  occurs  as  a  contagious  disease,  attacking  all  calves 
that  are  dropped  for  some  time,  especially  during  the 
winter  or  spring.  The  disease  is  caused  by  a  germ 
that  enters  the  calves'  system,  in  most  cases  through 
the  navel. 

There  is  a  severe  diarrhea,  which  produces  great 
weakness  and  general  prostration.  The  eyes  are 
sunken,  the  ears  cold,  and  the  mucous  membrane  of 
the  mouth  is  cold  and  bloodless.  The  discharges  from 
the  bowels  have  an   offensive  odor. 

The  cow  should  be  placed  at  once  in  clean  dry 
quarters,  where  no  sick  calves  have  been  confined.  As 
soon  as  the  calf  is  dropped,  the  "cord"  should  be  tied 
close  to  the  navel,  and  both  thoroughly  wet  with  a 
solution  of  tincture  of  iodine,  or  a  solution  of  one 
part  of  carbolic  acid  to  five  parts  of  water.  Iodine 
usually  gives  the  best  results.  Fresh  milk,  diluted  one- 
third  with  lime-water,  in  which  a  teaspoonful  of  dried 
blood  has  been  dissolved,  should  be  given  to  the  calf 
in  small  quantities  frequentl3^  Where  this  disease  oc- 
curs in  buildings,  all  pregnant  cows  about  to  calve 
should  be  removed  to  uninfected  quarters. 

CROP -BOUND    FOWLS 

In  the  spring  when  chickens  first  roam  and  gather 
food  for  themselves,  they  are  likely  to  swallow  a  large 


Crop -hound    Chickens  277 

amount  of  dry  indigestible  grass.  The  same  condition 
is  often  brought  on  by  feeding  them  grass  in  large 
quantities  when  they  are  not  used  to  it.  This  dry  grass 
remains  in  the  chicken's  crop  as  a  hard  undigested  mass 
that  is  likely  to  cause  death. 

The  best  plan  is  to  give  the  chicken  a  tablespoonful 
of  sweet  oil,  or  as  much  as  it  can  be  forced  to 
swallow.  The  gullet  must  then  be  held  between  the 
fingers  to  keep  the  oil  from  working  up,  while  the  mass 
in  the  crop  is  manipulated,  broken  up  and  mixed  with 
the  oil.  This  may  be  repeated  two  or  three  times  daily 
until  the  chicken  is  relieved.  Some  of  the  grass  can 
be  removed  by  working  it  up  the  gullet  and  out  of 
the  mouth.  Water  can  be  injected  with  a  hypodermic 
syringe  as  recommended  for  choking. 

When  it  is  not  possible  to  relieve  the  chicken  in 
this  manner,  the  crop  may  be  cut  open,  the  contents 
removed,  and  the  crop  sewed  up  with  catgut,  taking 
the  stitches  close  together.  The  skin  should  be  closed 
with  a  separate  set  of  stitches.  After  the  operation,  the 
chicken  should  have  nothing  but  milk  or  other  liquid 
food  for  a  week,  or  until  the  crop  has  healed.  Unless 
the  fowl  is  a  valuable  one,  it  is  seldom  worth  the 
bother  of  an  operation  and  after-treatment. 


CHAPTER    XII 
DISEASES    AFFECTING    THE    RESPIRATORY    SYSTEM 

The  commonest  disease  of  the  respiratory  system  is 
catarrh,  in  some  one  of  its  many  forms. 

Catarrh  is  an  inflammation  of  a  mucous  membrane, 
associated  with  an  excessive  discharge  of  mucus.  It 
may  attack  any  mucous  membrane  of  the  body,  but  un- 
less some  other  region  is  specified  it  is  understood  that 
the  name  catarrh  refers  to  the  disease  affecting  the 
mucous  lining  of  the  nose  and  throat.  The  two  kinds 
of  catarrh  (of  respiratory  passages)  are  acute  and 
chronic. 

ACUTE    CATARRH 

Acute  catarrh  comes  on  rather  suddenly,  and  is  gen- 
erally severe.  It  is  often  associated  with  an  infectious 
distemper,  or  influenza.  A  "cold  in  the  head"  is  a  form 
of  the  disease.  Catarrh  is  frequently  brought  on  by 
exposure  to  cold  and  wet  when  the  animal  is  warm  or 
out  of  condition.  It  sometimes  passes  from  animal  to 
animal.  Most  large  sale  stables  are  infested  with  an 
influenza,  which  manifests  itself  as  acute  catarrh. 

The  animal  appears  dull.  There  is  often  a  chill 
in  the  early  stage,  followed  by  fever.  The  mucous 
membranes  of  the  nose  and  eyes  are  congested  and 
red.     There  is  a  discharge  of  mucus  from  the  nostrils, 

(278) 


Catarrh  279 

at  first  thin  and  watery,  but  later  becoming  thick,  and, 
in  some  cases,  quite  pus-like  (purulent).  The  bowels 
are  usually  constipated. 

Give  the  patient  comfortable  quarters,  blanket 
warmly  and  supply  laxative,  easily  digested  food.  A 
small  tablespoonful  of  saltpeter  (nitrate  of  potash) 
should  be  added  to  the  drinking  water  once  daily. 
Steam  the  horse's  head  by  placing  a  blanket  over  it 
and  setting  under  this  a  pail  of  boiling  water  contain- 
ing a  tablespoonful  of  carbolic  acid.  As  the  water 
cools,  more  steam  can  be  generated  by  plunging  heated 
irons  or  stones  into  the  pail. 

CHRONIC   CATARRH 

In  chronic  catarrh,  there  are  few  symptoms  except 
a  discharge  of  mucus  or  muco- purulent  matter,  thick 
or  thin,  from  one  or  both  nostrils.  It  is  usually  most 
profuse  when  the  animal  is  first  exercised,  or  when 
the  head  is  lowered  to  drink.  The  catarrh  may  be  of 
long  standing,  and  the  animal  be  somewhat  debilitated 
as  a  result.  In  bad  cases,  pus  may  collect  in  one  of 
the  nasal  chambers  (sinuses).  This  may  be  discharged 
in  lumps,  or  the  bones  of  the  face  may  bulge,  from  the 
pressure  of  pus  inside  ;  in  some  cases,  the  bone  softens 
and  the  pus  is  discharged  through  it  to  the  outside. 
Sometimes  there  is  a  snorting  cough. 

The  treatment  for  chronic  catarrh  is  to  provide 
comfortable  quarters,  plenty  of  nourishing,  laxative 
food  and  to  give  good  care.  Tonic  condition  powders 
may  then  be  made  after  the  following  formula: 


280  The    Care    of  Animals 

Sulfate  of  iron  (pulverized) 2  ounces 

Nux  vomica  seed  (pulverized) 1  ounce 

Gentian  root  (pulverized)      2  ounces 

Nitrate  of  potash  (pulverized) 2  ounces 

Mix  the  ingredients  thoroughly,  and  give  a  tea- 
spoonful  in  the  feed  three  times  daily.  Steam  the 
head  and  spray  the  nostrils  once  daily  with  the  follow- 
ing :  Boric  acid,  2  drams  ;  warm  water,  1  quart.  In 
some  cases,  there  is  a  collection  of  pus  in  one  of  the 
cavities  of  the  head.  It  is  best  to  trephine  (cut  open) 
the  bone  and  wash  out  the  cavity  with  the  above 
solution.  Such  a  measure  greatly  hastens  the  cure  of 
the  disease. 

Other  diseases  that  resemble  chronic  catarrh  are 
the  ulceration  of  a  molar  in  the  upper  jaw,  and 
glanders,  described  elsewhere  (Chapter  XVI). 

BRONCHITIS 

Inflammation  of  the  bronchial  tubes  is  one  of  the 
most  common  diseases  that  attack  domestic  animals. 
It  is  usually  acute,  but  may  be  chronic.  It  is  often 
associated  with  pneumonia  or  inflammation  of  the 
lungs. 

Exposure  to  cold  and  dampness,  especially  when 
warm,  is  the  most  common  cause;  also  foreign  sub- 
stances, such  as  smoke  or  medicines,  that  irritate  the 
bronchial  tubes.  It  sometimes  follows  sore  throat  and 
often  starts  as  a  severe  cold. 

Bronchitis  usually  begins  with  a  chill,  which  may 
last  from  five  minutes  to  an  hour.     It  is  followed  by 


Bronchitis  281 

a  high  fever,  in  which  the  temperature  may  go  to 
106  degrees.  The  pulse  is  full,  soft  and  rapid,  sixty 
to  eighty  beats  per  minute.  The  respirations  are 
hurried,  but  not  labored.  There  is  a  cough,  which,  in 
the  early  stages,  is  short,  dry  and  husky;  but  in  the 
later  stages  it  becomes  moist  and  suppressed,  a  frothy 
mucus  often  being  coughed  up.  The  appetite  is  lost 
or  impaired,  and  the  bowels  constipated.  In  the  early 
stages,  the  dung  is  hard  and  dry,  but  as  the  disease 
progresses,  it  often  becomes  coated  with  a  slimy  mucus. 
The  urine  is  scant  and  high-colored.  By  applying 
the  ear  to  the  front  part  of  the  chest,  one  can  hear  a 
rattling  sound,  like  forcing  air  through  frothy  mucus. 
Just  back  of  the  shoulder  a  whistling  sound  (sibilus) 
can  be  heard  as  the  air  rushes  through  the  small 
bronchial  tubes.  The  expired  air  is  laden  with  moist- 
ure, and  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  nostrils  is  con- 
gested and  red.  Horses  stand  during  this  disease, 
while  other  animals  usually  lie  down. 

Hygienic  treatment  is  best.  Supply  clean,  warm, 
dry  quarters,  with  plenty  of  fresh  air,  but  no  draughts. 
Clothe  the  animal  warmly  and  apply  over  the  chest  a 
blanket  wrung  out  of  cold  water,  with  dry  blankets 
over  this.  The  wet  blankets  should  be  renewed  every 
hour.  During  the  chill,  give  stimulants,  whiskey  in 
two-ounce  doses,  sweet  spirits  of  nitre  in  ounce  doses, 
or  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia  in  ounce  doses;  and 
repeat  these  doses  every  hour  until  the  chill  is 
stopped.  Then  give  small  doses  of  aconite,  fifteen 
drops  of  the  tincture  alternating  with  one-half  dram 
of   fluid   extract   of   belladonna.      Two -dram    doses   of 


282  The    Care    of  Animals 

the  carbonate  or  chlorid  of  ammonia,  given  three 
times  daily,  is  excellent  to  promote  the  discharge  of 
mucus.  After  the  first  acute  symptoms  have  subsided, 
a  mustard  plaster  may  be  applied  to  the  lungs.  The 
food  and  water  and  general  care  should  be  the  same 
as  recommended  for  pneumonia.  Two  weeks  should 
be  allowed  for  a  complete  recovery. 

CONGESTION     OF     THE     LUNGS 

This  is  an  engorgement  of  the  lungs  with  blood. 
While  it  is  one  of  the  symptoms  of  acute  lung  disease 
(congestion  preceding  inflammation),  it  may  occur  with- 
out any  complications.  It  is  a  common  disease  among 
horses  during  the  winter  season. 

Congestion  of  the  lungs  usually  occurs  in  horses 
which  are  too  fat  and  lack  sufficient  exercise.  If  to 
these  conditions  is  added  a  foolish  or  drunken  driver, 
the  disease  may  be  confidently  expected. 

The  horse  is  distressed  for  breath,  and  wants  to 
stop  ;  he  sweats  freely,  frequently  turning  his  head 
toward  his  side;  there  is  trembling  of  the  muscles 
and  an  anxious  expression  of  the  face.  The  breathing 
is  rapid  and  labored;  the  flanks  heave  rapidly;  the 
nostrils  are  dilated  and  the  mucous  membrane  is  con- 
gested and  red. 

Stop  work,  loosen  the  harness,  and  blanket  warmly. 
Rub  the  legs  to  promote  circulation,  and  apply  a  cold 
compress  to  the  lungs.  After  the  first  acute  symptoms 
have  subsided,  give  stimulants,  such  as  alcohol  in  two- 
ounce   doses,   or  carbonate  of   ammonia    in    one -ounce 


Pneumonia  283 

doses,   well   diluted   with   water,    and  apply  a  mustard 
plaster  to  the    lungs  if  the  congestion  continues. 

PNEUMONIA,  INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  LUNGS,  LUNG  FEVER 

Inflammation  of  the  lungs  is  a  rather  common 
disease  in  all  domestic  animals.  There  are  several 
forms  of  the  disease,  depending  on  the  part  of  the 
lung  most  seriously  affected.  If  the  outer  covering 
(pleura)  is  also  diseased,  the  name  pleuro- pneumonia 
is  given;  when  the  bronchial  tubes  are  also  affected, 
the  trouble  is  called  broncho  -  pneumonia.  If  the 
disease  is  confined  to  one  lobe  of  the  lung,  it  is  called 
lobar-pneumonia.  Again,  the  disease  takes  different 
names  according  to  the  character  of  the  discharge 
thrown  off  by  the  lungs;  so  that  there  are  croupous 
pneumonia,  catarrhal  pneumonia,  and  the  like.  The 
treatment  for  the  different  varieties  is  the  same. 

Exposure,  especially  when  warm  and  sweaty,  brings 
on  this  disease.  It  occurs  most  frequently  in  cold 
weather.  In  many  cases  it  seems  to  start  as  a  severe 
"cold."  Any  irritating  substance  in  the  lungs  may 
produce  it,  such  as  medicine  poured  into  the  nostrils 
which  often  gets  into  the  lungs.  Damp,  dark  and 
crowded  stables  predispose  animals  to  pneumonia.  True 
pneumonia  is  probably  caused  by  germs  or  bacteria, 
and  is  often  infectious. 

Pneumonia  usually  starts  with  a  chill,  which  is 
followed  by  a  fever,  the  temperature  of  the  patient 
gradually  rising  to  104  or  105  degrees  Fahrenheit.  In 
some  cases,  in  the  early  stages,  there  are  colicky  pains, 


284  The    Care    of  Animals 

resulting  from  pleurisy.  The  respiration  is  rapid,  the 
animal  standing  with  the  head  drooping,  the  ears 
lopped,  and  elbows  turned  out;  this  position  is  usually 
maintained  throughout  the  course  of  the  disease.  In 
cases  that  prove  fatal,  horses  will  stand  until  they 
fall  from  exhaustion,  after  which  they  die  very  soon. 
When  animals  lie  down  with  pneumonia,  they  usually 
lie  on  the  side  that  is  the  most  seriously  diseased. 
The  pulse  is  rapid,  small,  and  rather  hard,  varying 
from  sixty  to  eighty  beats  per  minute.  The  appetite 
is  wanting  and  the  bowels  constipated.  By  placing 
the  ear  to  the  chest,  over  the  region  of  the  lung,  a 
rattling  sound  (crepitus)  is  heard,  in  place  of  the 
normal  murmur.  Or,  if  the  lung  is  badly  diseased,  it 
may  be  solidified  (hepatized)  so  that  no  air  can  enter; 
in  this  case  there  is  absence  of  sound.  Animals  sick 
with  pneumonia  like  fresh  air  and  will  often  place 
the  nose  to  a  door  or  window,  if  one  is  accessible. 
When  pleurisy  is  associated  with  pneumonia,  there 
is  a  well-marked  pleuritic  line  running  from  the 
point  of  the  hip  downward  and  forward  towards  the 
lower  end  of  the  ribs.  This  is  due  to  a  contraction 
of  the  muscles  to  prevent  the  ribs  from  moving  more 
than  necessary,  as  friction  between  the  lungs  and  ribs 
causes  pain. 

Pneumonia  runs  a  definite  course,  the  temperature 
reaching  its  highest  about  the  sixth  day.  All  the 
treatment  should  be  directed  toward  keeping  the  ani- 
mal comfortable  and  conserving  its  strength.  The 
body  should  be  warmly  clad,  the  legs  rubbed  lightly 
and  bandaged,  and  the  animal  placed  in  a  warm,  dry 


Pneumonia  285 

and  well -ventilated  stall  where  there  is  plenty  of  sun- 
light. The  food  should  be  nourishing  and  easily 
digested,  as  sweet  milk  alone,  or  with  raw  eggs  beaten 
in,  gruels,  oats  steamed  or  dry,  apples,  etc.  Cold 
compresses,  made  by  folding  blankets,  wrin-ging  them 
out  of  cold  water,  should  be  placed  firmly  against  the 
lungs,  and  covered  with  dry  blankets.  These  should 
be  continued  several  hours,  and  changed  frequently. 
When  they  are  removed,  the  part  should  be  rubbed 
dry,  and  a  stimulating  liniment  or  mustard  plaster 
rubbed  on.  The  mustard  is  mixed  with  tepid  water 
to  a  thin  paste  and  rubbed  into  the  hair  over  the 
lungs.  When  the  plaster  has  acted  sufficiently  it  should 
be  carefully  removed  with  a  curry-comb. 

In  giving  medicine,  great  care  must  be  exercised 
not  to  excite  or  to  choke  the  animal,  because  more 
harm  than  good  results  from  harsh  treatment.  Do  not 
drench  a  horse  suffering  from  pneumonia  unless  it  be 
really  necessary.  In  the  early  stages,  during  the  chill, 
stimulants  may  be  given, — whiskey  in  two-ounce  doses, 
or  an  ounce  of  spirits  of  nitrous  ether.  These  may  be 
repeated  in  an  hour.  After  the  chill  is  over,  the  fever 
may  be  treated  by  giving  small  doses,  fifteen  drops,  of 
the  tincture  of  aconite,  alternating  with  thirty  drops 
of  fluid  extract  of  belladonna,  every  hour.  A  heaping 
teaspoonful  of  saltpeter  (nitrate  of  potash)  maj^  be 
given  in  the  drinking  water  twice  daily.  As  soon  as 
the  fever  begins  to  subside,  the  other  medicines  may 
be  stopped  and  one -half  dram  of  iodide  of  potash 
be  given  twice  daily  for  two  or  three  days. 

In    the    early    stages    of  the  disease  enemas   (injec- 


286  The    Care    of  Animals 

tions)  of  warm  soapy  water,  or  water  with  two  ounces 
of  glycerine,  may  be  given  to  empty  the  bowels. 
Purgatives  should  not  be  given.  Three  weeks  should 
be  allowed  for  complete  recovery. 


INFECTIOUS   PNEUMONIA 

An  infectious  pneumonia  sometimes  occurs,  either 
among  horses  or  cattle.  It  seldom  spreads  rapidly  or 
extends  over  a  very  large  area.  The  symptoms  are 
those  of  ordinary  pneumonia,  except  that  its  progress 
is  not  so  rapid  and  the  disease  is  seldom  so  acute. 
The  treatment  is  the  same  as  for  ordinary  pneumonia, 
and,  in  addition,  careful  attention  should  be  paid  to 
the  surroundings,  food  and  water.  All  healthy  animals 
should  be  removed  from  infected  quarters,  and  the 
latter  should  be  thoroughly  disinfected  before  healthy 
animals  are  placed  in  them. 


CONTAGIOUS    PLEURO- PNEUMONIA 

This  is  a  disease  of  cattle,  slow,  chronic,  and  insid- 
ious, which  was  introduced  from  Europe,  where  it  has 
caused  heavy  losses  to  the  cattle  industry.  The  federal 
government,  through  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry, 
has  completely  eradicated  this  disease  from  the  United 
States,  no  case  having  occurred  for  ten  years.  Suspected 
cases  should  be  at  once  reported.  For  a  description 
of  this  disease,  see  reports  of  the  Department  of 
Agriculture. 


Heaves  287 

PULMONARY  EMPHYSEMA,  HEAVES,  OR  BROKEN  -  WIND  * 

This  is  a  chronic  disease  of  horses,  due  to  a  dilation 
or  rupture  of  the  air-cells  of  the  lungs.  It  is  usually 
associated  with  a  chronic  form  of  indigestion. 

Heaves  is  usuallj^  the  result  of  improper  food  or 
feeding,  and  is  most  frequently  seen  in  greedy  feeders. 
Overfeeding,  especially  with  dusty  or  moldy  hay,  is  a 
common  cause.  Fast  driving  or  hard  work  on  a  full 
stomach  may  induce  the  disease.  There  may  be  an 
hereditary  tendency  to  the  disease. 

In  most  cases,  the  disease  comes  on  gradually,  but 
fast  work  on  a  full  stomach  brings  it  on  suddenly. 
The  breathing  is  labored,  the  air  being  taken  in  (in- 
spired) with  a  peculiar  outward  twist  of  the  ribs. 
When  the  air  is  forced  out  (expired),  there  is  a  double 
movement  of  the  flank  :  when  expiration  begins, 
the  flank  falls  ;  then  there  is  a  short  pause,  followed 
by  a  decided  contraction  of  the  muscles,  which  causes 
a  heaving  of  the  flank  and  belly.  All  the  breathing 
symptoms  are  most  distinct  when  the  stomach  is  full 
of  food  or  Avater,  and  the  horse  is  exercised.  In  most 
cases  of  heaves  there  is  a  deep,  moist,  grunting  cough, 
most  frequent  when  the  food  or  the  air  is  dusty. 
There  is  considerable  gas  passed  from  the  bowels,  es- 
pecially when  coughing.  The  nostrils  are  dilated,  and 
frequently  there  is  a  discharge  of  thick  mucus  from 
the  nose.  Horses  badly  afflicted  with  heaves  are  unable 
to  perform  hard  or  fast  work  without  stopping  frequently 
to  breathe. 

*" Roaring,"  due  to  a  paralysis  of  the  muscles  of  the  throat,  is  also  called 
"broken-wind"  by  horsemen.     See  pages  288-9. 


288  The    Care    of  Animals 

Severe  cases  of  heaves  are  incurable,  although  much 
can  be  done  to  alleviate  the  trouble.  The  treatment 
is  h3^gienic  and  dietetic.  The  quarters  and  food  should 
be  made  free  from  dust.  In  feeding,  the  hay  should 
be  sprinkled  with  water.  The  food  should  be  nutri- 
tious, easily  digested,  but  not  bulky.  A  run  at  pasture 
is  excellent. 

The  best  medicinal  treatment  consists  in  giving 
arsenic,  in  the  form  of  Fowler's  solution,  beginning 
with  two  teaspoonfuls  in  the  food  three  times  daily  and 
increasing  to  a  tablespoonful  three  times  daily,  and 
continuing  from  one  to  two  months.  The  animal  should 
be  closely  watched  for  symptoms  of  arsenical  poisoning, 
and  the  medicine  stopped,  should  any  symptoms  appear. 
Other  remedies  are  :  Small  doses  of  aloes,  about  a 
dram,  given  as  a  ball  every  few  days  ;  oil  of  tar,  in 
two -dram  doses,  two  or  three  times  daily.  Any  medi- 
cine that  promotes  digestion  is  beneficial, — as  ginger 
root,  pulverized,  in  tablespoonful  doses  three  times 
daily,  or  a  teaspoonful  of  pulverized  nux  vomica  once 
daily.  In  any  treatment,  careful  attention  should  be 
given  to  the  diet. 

ROARING,  OR   WHISTLING 

This  disease,  which  afflicts  horses,  is  due  to  a  paral- 
ysis of  the  muscles  of  the  larynx,  together  with  one 
of  the  vocal  cords.  This  paralysis  diminishes  the  cali- 
ber of  the  larynx  to  such  an  extent  that  the  horse  has 
difficulty  in  taking  sufficient  air,  especially  when 
exercised  vigorously. 


Roaring  289 

This  trouble  may  follow  a  local  injury  to  the  throat. 
It  is  frequently  a  sequel  to  distemper.  It  is  also  fre- 
quently seen  among  race  -  horses  and  others  that  are 
subjected  to  severe  work  that  taxes  the  respiratory 
powers.  It  is  often  hereditary.  Some  stallions  habit- 
ually transmit  this  weakness  to  their  colts.  Horses 
with  long  slender  necks  seem  to  be  predisposed  to  this 
disease. 

The  disease  comes  on  gradually;  there  is  a  slight 
roaring  or  whistling  sound,  made  when  the  air  is  taken 
in  (inspired).  As  the  disease  progresses,  the  breathing 
becomes  more  difficult  and  the  sounds  louder.  The 
sounds  are  most  distinct  when  the  horse  is  exercised 
violently.  In  severe  cases,  a  horse  can  travel  rapidly 
only  a  short  distance  without  "choking  down." 

Roaring  derives  little  benefit  from  treatment.  In 
the  early  stages,  repeated  light  blisters,  applied  to  the 
larynx,  may  be  beneficial.  Removal,  by  a  surgical 
operation,  of  the  vocal  cord  and  the  cartilage  to  which 
it  is  attached,  gives  relief  in  a  few  cases.  A  tracheotomy 
tube  can  be  inserted  in  the  windpipe  of  a  horse  used 
for  speed,  though  it  is  a  temporary  measure.  It  can- 
not be  used  permanently  on  account  of  the  irritation 
it  causes. 

Roaring  is  sometimes  called  "broken -wind,"  but  it 
must  not  be  confounded  with  heaves,  to  which  that  name 
is  also  applied. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

DISEASES    AFFECTING    THE    BRttlN    AND 
NERVOUS    SYSTEM 

As  compared  with  man,  domestic  animals  are  affected 
by  few  diseases  of  the  nervous  sj'stem.  This  is  prob- 
ably due,  in  part,  to  the  higher  development  of  the 
nervous  system  in  man,  as  well  as  to  the  greater  strain 
to  which  it  is  subjected.  Insanity  and  the  other  men- 
tal diseases  in  man  that  may  be  caused  by  worry  and 
excesses,  are  practically  unknown  among  animals. 
Some  of  the  so-called  "nervous  diseases"  are  merely 
symptoms  of  other  disorders;  but,  inasmuch  as  the 
farmer  recognizes  symptoms  as  diseases,  it  has  seemed 
best  to  include  in  one  chapter  the  common  diseases 
that  manifest  themselves  chiefly  in  the  nervous  system. 

HYDROCEPHALUS 

Hydrocephalus,  commonly  called  "water  on  the  brain," 
sometimes  occurs  in  foals,  calves  and  other  young  ani- 
mals at  birth.  The  skull  is  enlarged  and  the  brain  is 
largely  replaced  by  a  watery  fluid.  See  Fig.  41,  Chapter 
IX.  Animals  affected  with  this  disease  seldom  live,  and 
when  they  do  are  of  no  value.  The  best  plan  is  to 
destroy  them  at  once,  as  there  is  no  treatment  known 
that  is  satisfactory. 

(290) 


Dummies  —  Lock  -jaw  291 


When  hydrocephalus  develops  in  adult  horses,  the 
animals  gradually  lose  their  mental  powers  and  are 
commonly  called  "dummies."  Such  animals  are  often 
traded  off  as  soon  as  the  owner  suspects  the  difficulty. 

While  standing,  the  horse  seems  to  be  asleep,  rest- 
ing the  head  on  the  manger  ;  the  eyes  are  partially  closed 
and  the  legs  often  crossed,  or  one  foot  rests  on  the 
opposite  one.  When  eating,  the  horse  appears  to  go 
to  sleep  with  the  food  in  his  mouth,  and,  in  drinking, 
usually  plunges  his  head  to  the  bottom  of  the  trough, 
withdraw^ing  it  only  to  get  breath.  In  moving,  the 
horse  lifts  the  feet  high,  and  in  backing  drags  them 
along  the  ground.  He  comprehends  but  little,  and  it 
is  w^ith  difficulty  that  he  can  be  made  to  work. 
He  may  be  subject  to  "fits  "  especially  when  exercised 
violently. 

Good  care  and  good  food  are  needed,  when  treat- 
ment is  attempted.  Iodide  of  potash  in  dram  doses 
may  be  given  once  daily  for  a  few  days,  then  withheld 
for  a  week,  then  repeated.  A  "dummy"  is  of  little 
value,  scarcely  worth   treating. 

TETANUS,   OR  "LOCK-JAW" 

This  disease  produces  a  contraction  of  some  or  all 
of  the  voluntary  muscles  of  the  body,  associated  with 
an  excited  condition  of  the  nervous  system.  It  occurs 
in  horses  and  mules,  rarely  in  other  animals.  It  also 
attacks  man. 


292  The    Care    of  Animals 

Tetanus,  or  '' lock-jaw,"  is  caused  by  a  germ  or  bac- 
terium that  usually  enters  the  system  through  a  wound. 
Once  inside,  the  germs  multiply  rapidly,  and  produce 
violent  poison  that  acts  upon  the  nervous  system, 
causing  the  voluntary  muscles  to  contract  and,  at  the 
same  time,  creating  nervous  excitement.  The  germs 
are  believed  to  be  numerous  in  the  soil  about  barns 
and  stables.  They  are  especially  liable  to  enter  wounds 
of  the  feet,  although  any  surgical  operation  or  the 
least  break  of  the  skin  offers  an  opportunity  for 
infection.  When  tetanus  occurs  without  any  visible 
wound,  the  germs  are  believed  to  enter  the  system 
through  minute  wounds,  or  through  a  mucous  mem- 
brane, such  as  the  digestive  tract. 

Tetanus  generally  centers  in  some  set  of  muscles, 
such  as  those  of  the  neck,  head,  jaws,  or  back,  although 
all  the  muscles  may  be  more  or  less  affected.  The  first 
marked  symptom  is  usually  inability  to  eat,  the  muscles 
of  the  jaws  being  firmly  contracted.  The  horse  be- 
comes stiff  all  over;  the  head  is  elevated  and  the  nose 
protrudes;  the  tail  is  arched  in  a  peculiar  and  char- 
acteristic manner.  If  forced  to  move,  the  animal  has 
a  stiff,  paddling  gait.  Great  difficulty  is  experienced 
in  backing  the  horse.  He  is  easily  excited,  especially 
by  a  slight  blow  under  the  jaws.  The  "haw"  is  drawn 
across  the  inner  corner  of  the  eye.  The  animal  grinds 
his  teeth.  The  affected  muscles  are  rigid  to  the  touch. 
The  flank  is  usually  "tucked  up."  The  animal  gives 
evidence  of  being  seriously  ill. 

Put  the  horse  into  comfortable  and  quiet  quarters. 
On  no  account  allow  inquisitive  visitors  to  see  him.    The 


Loch -jaw  293 

stall  should  be  slightlj'  darkened  and  supplied  with  soft 
bedding.  If  the  wound  where  infection  took  place  can 
be  located,  it  should  be  opened,  to  give  free  access 
to  air,  for  this  prevents  the  germs  from  growing.  The 
wound  should  be  thoroughly  cleansed,  and  antiseptics, 
such  as  carbolic  acid  (one  part  in  twenty  parts  of 
water),  applied  to  the  wound  twice  dail}'.  Tetanus 
usually  shows  itself  in  four  to  twenty  days  (in  most 
cases  about  ten  days)  following  an  injury.  Horses 
suffering  from  this  disease  should  not  be  drenched,  as 
this  treatment  excites  them  too  much.  Fluid  extract 
of  belladonna,  one  dram,  may  be  made  into  a  sticky 
paste  with  molasses  and  flour  and  applied  to  the  tongue 
every  two  hours  for  five  or  six  doses,  or  until  the  ani- 
mal is  quiet.  Morphine  may  be  used  in  the  same  way  in 
one-  to  two-grain  doses,  or  the  same  amount  may  be  in- 
jected under  the  skin  of  the  neck  or  shoulder  with  a 
hypodermic  syringe.  A  remedy  that  has  given  good 
results,  although  but  recently  introduced,  is  the  follow- 
ing: Carbolic  acid,  95  per  cent,  two  ounces;  glycerin, 
one  ounce;  distilled  water,  one  ounce.  Inject  one  dram 
hypodermically  every  two  hours  for  fort}-- eight  hours, 
then  once  in  four  hours.  In  all  cases,  the  horse  must 
be  kept  as  quiet  and  comfortable  as  possible.  If 
the  horse  can  drink,  give  sweet  milk,  and  gruels  con- 
taining raw,  beaten  eggs.  If  he  can  eat,  give  laxative 
food,  such  as  mashes  and  fresh  grass.  Cases  of  tetanus 
in  which  convulsions  have  set  in  are  usually  fatal. 
Several  weeks  must  be  allowed  for  recovery  after  the 
acute  symptoms  disappear. 


294  The    Care    of  Animals 

STRINGHALT,    CHOREA 

Chorea  is  a  disease  known  by  a  spasmodic  contrac- 
tion of  some  of  the  voluntary  muscles.  The  muscles 
twitch  or  tremble.  The  cause  and  real  nature  of  this 
disease  are  not  known.  It  is  similar  to  St.  Vitus'  dance 
in  the  human  family.  It  usually  occurs  in  animals  of 
a  nervous  disposition.  Chorea  in  some  of  its  forms 
is  frequently  seen  in  horses  and  dogs  ;  in  the  latter  it 
sometimes  occurs  as  a  sequel  to  distemper.  It  is  prob- 
able that  several  diseases,  or  symptoms  of  several  dis- 
eases, are  confounded  loosely  under  the  general  terra 
chorea  by  the  laj^man ;  but  for  practical  purposes  here 
they  may  all  be  considered  together. 

There  are  several  forms  of  the  disease,  and  the 
symptoms  vary  accordingly.  One  of  the  most  frequent 
forms  is  stringhalt  in  horses.  This  is  a  marked  spas- 
modic jerking  up  of  the  hind  leg  as  the  horse  travels. 
In  some  cases  it  is  seen  only  when  the  horse  first  starts, 
after  standing  in  the  stall,  and  disappears  after  a  few 
steps  have  been  taken.  There  is  a  form  of  stringhalt 
that  sometimes  follows  punctured  wounds  of  the  foot, 
and  disappears  as  soon  as  the  wound  heals.  Another 
form  of  chorea  is  shown  by  the  inability  of  the  horse 
to  lift  the  hind  foot,  which  seems  to  be  fastened  to 
the  floor.  When  he  does  get  it  loose  it  is  lifted  up 
high,  and  is  held  a  moment  in  that  position.  This 
form  of  the  disease  is  called  "immobility,"  and  is  most 
pronounced  on  making  the  horse  "stand  over"  quietly, 
after  he  has  stood  in  the  stable  for  a  time,  especially 
over  night.      The   symptoms   usually    disappear    if  the 


Stringhalt  295 

horse  is  made  to  jump  quickly  by  a  cut  from  a  whip,  or 
after  walking  a  short  distance. 

These  forms  of  chorea  are  most  severe  in  cold  weather 
and  usually  gradually  increase  in  severity  as  the  ani- 
mal grows  older.  In  dogs,  chorea  is  usually  seen  as  an 
irregular  jerking  of  the  muscles  of  the  head  or  some 
other  part,  or  even  the  entire  body.  In  horses,  there 
is  sometimes  a  jerking  of  sets  of  muscles,  unless  the 
disease  is  severe.  Chorea  does  not  seem  to  cause  suffer- 
ing, nor  to  interfere  seriously  with  the  general  health 
of  the  animal. 

In  most  cases  of  chorea,  medicinal  treatment  does 
not  give  great  benefit,  unless  it  is  the  result  of  other 
disease.  Good  results  often  follow  careful  feeding  and 
tonics.  The  food  should  be  nutritious,  easily  digested, 
of  good  variety,  and  abundant.  For  horses,  a  mix- 
ture of  oats,  oil-meal  and  bran  is  good.  Give  the 
horse  three  times  a  week  the  following:  Common  salt, 
four  ounces;  sulfur,  two  ounces ;  hard -wood  ashes, 
two  ounces; — a  tablespoonful  of  the  mixture  in  the  feed. 
Also,  give  Fowler's  solution  (of  arsenic),  beginning 
with  half -ounce  doses  in  the  feed,  once  daily,  and 
gradually  increasing  by  one -fourth  ounce  at  a  time 
until  one  ounce  is  given  at  a  dose  in  the  morning 
and  the  same  at  night.  The  arsenic  should  be  given 
for  two  weeks  and  then  withheld  for  two  weeks  and 
repeated.  Dogs  maybe  given  Fowler's  solution,  begin- 
ning with  one -drop  doses  once  daily  and  increased 
one  drop  a  day  until  five  to  ten  drops  (depending  on 
the  size  of  the  dog)  are  given  three  times  daily. 
Simple   syrup   of   hypophosphites    should   be   given   in 


296  The    Care    of  Animals 

teaspoonful  doses  three  tunes  daily  with  the  arseuic. 
This  treatment  may  be  continued  for  two  or  three  weeks, 
then  stopped  for  two  or  three  weeks,  and  then  repeated. 
In  some  cases,  cutting  the  lateral  extensor  tendon  just 
below  the  hock  joint  gives  permanent  relief  to  horses 
having  stringhalt,  and  this  is  not  a  dangerous 
operation. 

FITS,    EPILEPSY 

Horses  are  sometimes  subject  to  fits,  which  render 
them  wholly  or  partly  unconscious.  In  some  cases 
they  appear  to  be  in  a  frenzy  of  excitement;  they  stag- 
ger about  and  often  fall.  Animals  subject  to  fits  are 
dangerous  for  driving,  because  they  are  wholly  irre- 
sponsible during  an  attack;  and  they  frequently  cause 
serious  injuries  to  themselves  and  to  those  depend- 
ent on  them.  A  horse  is  usually  attacked  by  a  fit 
while  being  driven,  and  without  any  premonitory 
symptoms,  often  floundering,  rearing  or  plunging, 
and  sometimes  running  away  or  dashing  into  dan- 
gerous places. 

During  the  attack,  the  horse  should  be  freed  from 
the  vehicle,  and  the  harness  loosened  or  removed. 
Cold  water  dashed  over  the  head  generally  gives  relief. 
The  cause  of  the  difficulty  should  be  looked  for  and 
removed,  if  possible.  It  may  be  over-feeding,  or  a 
tight-fitting  collar  or  throat-latch,  or  any  other  con- 
dition that  interferes  with  the  circulation.  Real  epi- 
lepsy is  incurable,  and  a  horse  suffering  from  such 
fits  should  not  be  placed  in  any  position  involving 
responsibility.     Many  causes    are   responsible    for  fits. 


Fits  —  Sunstroke  297 

If  the  animal  is  subject  to  them,  a  skilled  veterinarian 
should  be  consulted. 

SUNSTROKE,    HEAT     EXHAUSTION 

In  hot  weather  and  when  subjected  to  hard  or 
fast  work  in  the  hot  sun,  horses  sometimes  lose  con- 
sciousness and  fall;  or,  as  it  is  commonly  expressed, 
they  "have  a  sunstroke."  Sunstroke  differs  from  fits  in 
the  absence  of  excitement.  The  breathing  is  slow,  and 
often  of  a  snoring  character;  the  pulse  is  slow,  and 
not  distinct. 

The  harness  should  be  removed  and  the  horse 
placed  in  a  comfortable  position  in  the  shade,  and 
propped  up  on  his  brisket.  Cold  water  should  be 
dashed  on  the  head,  or  cracked  ice  in  a  bag  be  applied 
to  the  poll.  If  the  horse  is  conscious  enough  to  drink, 
small  quantities  of  cool  water  should  be  offered 
frequently.  Four  ounces  of  whiskey  may  be  give;i, 
diluted  in  cold  water.  The  horse  should  be  sponged 
with  cool  water  and  rubbed  briskly  all  over  till  he  is  dry 
and  rested.  Plenty  of  fresh  air  should  be  allowed,  with- 
out a  draught. 

The  same  treatment  is  to  be  given  horses  that  have 
been  over -driven  in  hot  weather  and  are  suffering  from 
heat  exhaustion. 

APOPLEXY 

Apoplexy  is  a  very  rare  disease  in  animals.  It  is 
caused  by  the  rupture  of  a  blood-vessel  in  the  brain, 
producing    temporary    unconsciousness    and    a    loss    of 


298  The    Care    of  Animals 

control  of  certain  muscles.  This  condition  persists 
for  some  time,  or  may  be  more  or  less  permanent. 
Apoplectic  fits  come  on  suddenly,  and,  after  the  ani- 
mal gains  consciousness,  recovery  is  slow.  Parturient 
apoplexy  in  cows  is  a  different  disease.  See  page  212. 
An  animal  that  has  had  a  stroke  of  apoplexy  is  of 
little  value  and  treatment  is  seldom  worth  while. 


PARALYSIS 

True  paralysis  is  a  lack  of  control  of  muscles, 
caused,  in  most  cases,  by  injuries  to  the  nerves.  In 
all  diseases  where  there  is  total  or  partial  unconscious- 
ness, there  is  a  lack  of  control;  but,  in  true  paralysis,  the 
animal  appears  well,  except  that  certain  muscles  are 
weak  and  flabby,  and  the  animal  has  little  or  no  con- 
trol over  them.  There  is  no  pain,  unless  associated 
with  an  injury  or  caused  by  the  pressure  of  a  tumor. 
In  old  animals,  there  is  often  a  paralysis  of  some  of  the 
muscles  of  the  face.  As  a  result,  the  healthy  muscles 
pull  the  affected  ones  in  the  opposite  direction,  giving 
the  face  a  wry  appearance.  Paralysis  resulting  from  an 
injury  usually  disappears  as  the  part  returns  to  its 
normal  state.  In  certain  cases,  rubbing  the  affected 
muscles  with  a  stimulating  liniment,  and  giving  nux 
vomica  internally,  may  be  beneficial.  Electricity  is  use- 
ful in  some  instances.  Tincture  of  nux  vomica  may 
be  given  in  doses  of  one  drop  (for  a  small  dog)  to 
thirty  drops  (for  a  horse),  three  times  daily.  Should 
any  twitching  of  the  muscles  occur,  the  dose  should 
be  reduced  or  stopped  altogether. 


CHAPTER    XIV 
DISEASES   AFFECTING    THE    SKIN   AND    EYE 

Diseases  of  the  skin  of  animals  can  usually  be 
traced  to  one  of  the  following  causes:  parasites, 
either  animal  or  vegetable;  uncleanliness,  which  inter- 
feres with  the  functions  of  the  glands  of  the  skin; 
improper  food  or  feeding;  a  disease  of  the  nerves 
which  is  shown  by  an  intense  itching  of  the  skin. 
Some  of  the  commoner  skin  manifestations  are  brought 
together  in  this  chapter  for  the  convenience  of  the 
reader,  even  though  they  may  not  be  closely  related 
as  to  cause. 

"hidebound" 

This  is  not  a  disease,  but  only  a  symptom;  although 
the  term  is  commonly  used  by  horsemen  as  if  it  meant 
a  disease.  In  "hidebound"  horses,  the  skin  appears 
dry  and  shrunken  on  the  bones.  Such  .animals  are 
out  of  condition,  usually  from  being  poorly  nourished, 
either  from  a  lack  of  sufficient  food  of  good  quality, 
or  from  inability  to  assimilate  the  food.  In  most  cases, 
the  remedy  is  abundance  of  nourishing  and  easily  di- 
gested food;  when  this  has  been  supplied  without  relief, 
other  causes,  such  as  diseased  teeth,  derangement  of 
the  digestive  tract,  or  some  chronic  disease,  as  tuber- 
culosis, must  be  looked  for. 

(299) 


300  The    Care    of  Animals 

ECZEMA,     INFLAMMATION     OF     THE     SKIN 

Eczema  is  inflammatiou  of  the  skin,  associated  with 
small  blisters.  It  is  usually  found  in  horses  in  good 
flesh  and  that  are  fed  on  rich  food.  It  is  most  com- 
mon toward  the  spring  of  the  year,  when  the  hair  is 
long,  or  when  the  animal  is  beginning  to  shed  its 
coat. 

The  skin  is  red  and  slightly  thickened,  with  small 
eruptive  blisters  that  discharge  a  gummj^  substance 
that  dries  about  the  roots  of  the  hair.  When  the 
horse  is  driven  or  worked  so  that  he  sweats,  intense 
itching  of  the  skin  results.  This  is  most  severe  in  the 
region  of  the  neck,  although  the  legs  are*  frequently 
affected. 

If  the  hair  is  long,  it  should  be  clipped.  The 
parts  should  be  thoroughly  cleansed  by  washing  with  tar 
soap,  then  wiped  dry,  and  a  small  quantity  of  oxide  of 
zinc  ointment,  or  other  bland  ointment,  rubbed  into 
the  skin.  Internally,  the  horse  should  be  given  four 
ounces  of  Epsom  salts  once  daily  until  the  bowels 
move  freel}';  then  the  following: 

Nitrate  of  potash 4  ounces 

Common  salt .4        ** 

Sulfur 2        ** 

Pulverize,,  mix,  and  give  a  heaping  teaspoonful  in  the 
feed  twice  daily. 

In  all  cases  of  itchy  skin  diseases,  a  thorough  and 
careful  examination  should  be  made  for  parasites, 
especially  lice. 


Scratches  301 

MUD     FEVER 

This  is  a  common  name  given  to  an  inflammation 
of  the  skin  of  the  legs,  usually  caused  by  the  irrita- 
tion produced  by  mud  and  water  in  the  spring  of  the 
year.  In  geldings  it  is  sometimes  caused  by  urine 
spattering  against  the  fore  legs. 

The  skin  is  inflamed  or  tender.  The  hair  looks 
rough,  and  it  may  come  out  in  patches.  The  skin  at 
the  roots  of  the  hair  is  scurfy  and  guinmy. 

The  treatment  is  practically  the  same  as  for 
eczema,  except  that  internal  medication  is  required 
only  in  severe  cases.  After  the  hair  is  clipped,  the 
legs  should  be  well  dressed  with  some  bland  oil  or 
ointment,  such  as  castor  oil  or  vaseline,  before  driving 
the  horse  in  mud  or  wet.     Keep  the  legs  clean. 

SCRATCHES,     GREASE -HEEL 

Scratches  is  an  inflammation  of  the  glands  of  the 
skin,  especiall}^  in  the  region  of  the  heels.  When  a  simi- 
lar condition  occurs  in  front  of  the  hock  joint  it  is 
called  "sallenders ";  at  the  back  of  the  knee  on  the 
fore  leg  it  is  called  "mallenders." 

In  most  cases,  scratches  is  caused  by  some  external 
irritant,  such  as  mud,  wet,  or  filth.  It  occurs  most 
frequently  in  the  winter  or  spring  when  the  roads 
are  muddy,  or  when  the  horses  are  confined  in  filthy 
quarters.  The  reason  the  disease  usually  occurs  in 
the  hind  legs  is  because  of  their  proximity  to  the 
manure.     In  some  parts  of  the  West,  where  alkali  soils 


302  The    Care    of  Animals 

prevail,  the  dust  sticks  in  the  hair  when  the  horse 
sweats,  and  causes  scratches  in  midsummer.  Rope- 
burns  under  the  fetlock  may  also  cause  scratches. 
Certain  coarse -legged  horses  of  the  heavy  draft  type, 
with  a  thick  growth  of  hair  on  the  legs,  are  predis- 
posed to  this  trouble.  In  some  cases  of  scratches,  a 
form  of  mold  has  been  found  that  has  been  thought 
to  cause  the  disease. 

There  is  inflammation  of  the  glands  of  the  skin, 
the  parts  itch,  and  the  hair  stands  erect.  There  is 
also  a  sticky  discharge  that  adheres  to  the  hair  like 
dew;  at  first,  the  fluid  is  thin  and  colorless,  but  later 
it  is  gummy  and  may  have  a  foetid  odor.  Transverse 
cracks  appear  in  the  skin,  usually -under  the  fetlock, 
but  sometimes  above  it;  the  legs  swell,  the  fetlock  and 
pastern  joints  become  stiff,  and  the  horse  is  often  lame 
on  starting,  owing  to  the  soreness  of  the  skin.  In 
severe  cases,  a  fungus -like  growth  of  proud  flesh, 
called  "grapes,"  forms  on  the  edges  of  the  cracks,  and 
the  parts  bleed  easily  and  profusely. 

The  first  essential  is  to  clean  the  part.  This  is 
best  done  by  clipping  the  hair  close  to  the  skin  and 
applying  a  warm  poultice  of  scalded  bran,  linseed 
meal,  or  bread  and  milk;  this  should  be  applied 
from  twelve  to  twenty -four  hours,  and  changed  at 
least  twice  a  day.  When  the  poultice  is  removed,  the 
part  must  be  thoroughly  washed,  and  wiped  dry,  after 
all  scabs,  etc.,  are  removed.  Antiseptics  should  be 
applied,  either  in  solution  or  dusted  on  as  a  fine 
powder.  White  lotion,  or  one  ounce  of  copper  sulfate 
dissolved  in  one  pint  of  water,  iodoform,  acetanilid,  or 


Scratches    and    Fouls  303 

boric  acid,  dusted  into  the  sores,  are  all  excellent  for 
scratches.  After  applying  the  antiseptics,  the  part 
should  be  covered  with  some  bland  oily  dressing, 
such  as  olive,  raw  linseed,  or  castor  oil,  fresh  lard, 
vaseline,  or  glycerin.  A  solution  of  one  part  of  car- 
bolic acid  to  twenty  parts  of  glycerin  or  raw  linseed 
oil  is  very  good.  The  stable  should  be  kept  clean 
and  dry.  When  the  horse  is  worked,  the  sore  parts 
should  be  oiled  or  greased  at  least  twice  a  day. 
When  the  parts  are  washed,  they  should  be  wiped 
dry  and  oiled,  to  keep  the  skin  from  chapping  and 
cracking. 

In  old,  chronic  cases,  or  when  proud  flesh  or 
"grapes"  have  formed,  after  the  part  has  been  poul- 
ticed, the  "grapes"  should  be  cauterized  with  a  stick 
of  lunar  caustic,  or  "butter  of  antimony,"  applied 
lightly  with  a  swab,  or  tincture  of  iodin  may  be  ap- 
plied once  daily  for  a  few  days.  Then  treat  as  a  simple 
case. 

FOULS   IX    CATTLE 

Fouls  is  an  inflammation,  often  associated  with  sup- 
puration, of  the  skin  and  cellular  tissues  in  the  region 
of  the  toes  of  cattle.  It  usually  occurs  between  the 
toes  of  the  hind  feet,  or  just  above  the  toes  ;  but  it  is 
sometimes  found  in  the  front  feet. 

Fouls  is  thought  to  be  caused  by  certain  germs  or 
bacteria  which  invade  the  tissues  in  this  region.  Stand- 
ing in  manure  or  filth,  and  running  in  muddy  yards,  are 
the  most  common  causes,  although  injuries  to  the  feet 
mav  bring  on  the  disease. 


304  The    Care    of  Animals 

There  is  inflammation,  soreness,  swelling  and  lame- 
ness. The  toes  spread  apart,  and  the  animal  lies  down 
more  than  usual,  to  relieve  the  feet.  A  small  abscess 
may  form,  and  a  "core"  slough  out.  In  most  cases, 
the  tissues  crack  in  the  cleft  between  the  toes,  and  a 
chronic  indolent  sore  results  that  is  difficult  to  heal. 
Chronic  cases  are  liable  to  recur  after  they  are  appar- 
ently healed. 

Poultice  for  twelv^e  hours,  clean  thoroughly  and  keep 
clean  and  dry.  In  recent  cases,  the  cleft  may  be  cleaned 
by  drawing  a  rope  through  it.  Then  apply  a  liquid 
antiseptic  :  white  lotion,  a  five  per  cent  solution  of 
carbolic  acid,  or  copper  sulfate  (blue  vitriol)  one 
ounce  to  a  pint  of  water.  Pure  turpentine  is  also  good. 
Following  the  antiseptic,  powdered  air- slaked  lime,  or 
calomel,  may  be  dusted  into  the  cleft  to  dry  up  the 
discharge.  In  severe  and  chronic  cases,  it  is  necessary 
to  burn  out  the  sore  with  a  stick  of  lunar  caustic  or 
chlorid  ("butter")  of  antimony  applied  with  a  swab 
after  poulticing.     Then  treat  as  a  recent  case. 

TUMOR'S    OF    THE    SKIN 

Warts  are  tumors  of  the  skin.  They  may  be  found 
on  any  of  the  domestic  animals,  but  are  most  frequent 
on  horses  and  cattle.  Their  cause  is  not  known,  al- 
though an  abnormal  nutrition  of  the  skin  is  the  common 
explanation. 

In  their  early  stages,  warts  can  be  destroyed  by  a 
solution  of  pure  acetic  acid,  applying  it  drop  by  drop 
until  the   wart    is   saturated   and   soft.      In   a  week  or 


Warts    and    Tumors  305 

ten  days  the  wart  comes  off.  If  it  has  not  been  re- 
moved by  the  "roots,"  another  application  should  be 
made.  If  warts  are  large,  the  best  way  is  to  cut  them  out 
with  a  knife  ;  should  they  bleed  profusely,  the  severed 
blood-vessels  may  be  seared  with  a  hot  iron.  Another 
good  method  is  to  tie  a  stout  string  firmly  around  the 
base  of  the  wart,  which  will  then  soon  slough  off. 
Warts  should  be  treated  as  soon  as  they  are  noticed. 

MELANOTIC    TUMORS 

These  tumors  occur  in  gray,  roan,  or  white  horses. 
They  contain  much  black  pigment  or  coloring  material. 
They  are  usually  found  in  the  region  of  the  anus,  be- 
tween the  thighs  or  about  the  sheath.  They  occur  as 
single  tumors  or  in  numbers,  and  often  attain  a  large 
size.  They  should  be  cut  out  with  a  knife,  care  being 
taken  to  use  proper  antiseptic  methods. 

CANCERS 

Cancers  are  malignant  tumors  which  become  raw, 
ulcerated  and  angry -looking.  They  may  occur  on  any 
part  of  the  body,  but  are  most  frequent  on  the  head 
and  lower  part  of  the  legs.  The  best  treatment  is  re- 
moval with  the  knife:  in  cases  in  which  this  cannot 
be  done,  they  can  be  sloughed  out  by  applying  one 
dram  of  fluid  extract  of  belladonna,  mixed  with  suffi- 
cient white  arsenic  to  make  a  paste.  After  sloughing 
has  taken  place,  the  sore  should  be  treated  as  a  sim- 
ple wound.  Cancers  have  already  been  discussed  in 
Chapter  VIII. 


306  The    Care    of  Animals 

RUBBING    THE    MANE 

Itching  of  the  skin  at  the  roots  of  the  mane  is  a 
common  annoying  condition,  and  one  that,  in  some  cases, 
is  difficult  to  cure.  The  skin  in  the  affected  region 
should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  with  soap  and  water, 
then  dried  and  an  iodin  ointment  rubbed  well  into 
the  skin.  Give  laxative  food  and  Epsom  salts  (about 
four  ounces)  once  daily  until  the  bowels  are  loosened. 

RUBBING    THE    TAIL 

The  causes  for  this  trouble  may  be  the  same  as  for 
rubbing  the  mane,  and  the  treatment  is  the  same.  It 
may  also  be  caused  by  intestinal  worms,  especially  pin- 
worms.  For  treatment,  see  "Intestinal  Worms,"  Chapter 
XII,  page  341. 

ERYSIPELAS 

Erysipelas  sometimes  occurs  in  horses,  but  rarely 
in  other  animals.  It  is  an  inflammation  of  the  skin,  due 
fro  a  specific  germ  that  gains  entrance  through  a  wound, 
though  the  wound  maybe  so  small  as  to  pass  unnoticed. 

The  skin  is  hot,  tender,  swollen,  and,  if  normally 
white,  it  turns  very  red.  The  inflammation  and  swell- 
ing affect  the  deeper  tissues,  which  have  a  "doughy" 
feeling,  pitting  on  pressure.  There  is  a  well-defined  line 
between  the  healthy  and  the  diseased  parts.  In  severe 
cases  there  is  a  tendency  toward  the  formation  of  a 
brownish,  bad -smelling  pus  under  the  skin,  and  an, 
extensive  sloughing  of  diseased  tissues. 


Erysipelas  307 

The  diseased  parts  should  be  wet  frequently,  or 
covered  with  a  cloth  wet  with  the  following  mixture  : 
Tincture  of  chlorid  of  iron,  one  ounce;  alcohol,  one 
pint;  or  sugar  of  lead,  one  ounce,  water,  one  pint.  Also 
give  internally  every  three  hours  '-  Tincture  of  chlorid 
of  iron,  four  drams  ;  water,  one  pint.  Three  times 
daily,  give  an  ounce  of  hyposulfite  of  soda,  dissolved 
in  a  pint  of  water.  When  pus  forms,  the  cavity  should 
be  opened  and  washed  out  twice  daily  with  a  solution 
of  corrosive  sublimate  (1  to  1,000  parts  of  water),  or 
a  5  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid. 

Erysipelas  can  be  transmitted  to  other  animals 
and  to  man  by  direct  inoculation  through  a  wound, 
or  by  infected  instruments  ;  but  it  is  not  contagious, 
in  the  proper  sense  of  the  term. 

DISEASES    OF    THE    EYE 

The  eyes  of  lower  animals  resemble  those  of  man 
very  closely,  but  the  form  of  the  pupil  may  give  them 
a  different  appearance.  In  the  horse,  the  pupil  is  oval 
and  horizontal.  In  the  cat,  it  is  vertical.  In  the  eye 
of  a  horse  there  are  small,  dark  brown,  or  black, 
rounded  masses  of  coloring- matter,  commonlj'  called 
"soot -balls,"  attached  to  the  edge  (most  frequently  the 
upper  edge)  of  the  pupil.  At  the  inner  corner  of  the 
eye,  in  horses  and  cattle,  there  is  a  thin  fleshy  mem- 
brane commonly  called  the  "haw,"  that  can  be  swept 
across  the  eye  to  remove  foreign  bodies.  This  mem- 
brane is  best  developed  in  those  animals  that  cannot 
rub  the  eves. 


308  The    Care    of  Animals 

Sometimes  the  "haw"  becomes  inflamed  and  swollen, 
or  partially  drawn  across  the  eye,  as  in  tetanus  or 
"lock-jaw."  This  condition  is  called  "hooks"  by  some 
horsemen.  The  affected  haw  is  sometimes  cut  out ;  the 
operation,  however,  is  a  cruel  and  useless  one.  Oper- 
ations of  the  eyes  should  be  performed  only  by  a  skilled 
surgeon. 

Ectropium 

Ectropium  is  a  turning  out  of  the  eyelid,  usually  the 
lower  one,  so  that  it  presents  a  red  and  irritated  appear- 
ance. It  sometimes  occurs  in  horses  and  dogs.  It  is 
usually  the  result  of  severe  inflammation,  or  an  injury. 
When  this  condition  is  permanent,  the  only  treatment 
is  to  remove  a  V-shaped  piece  from  the  lower  lid, 
stitching  together  the  parts  so  as  to  bring  the  lid  up 
to  its  normal  condition. 

Diseases  of  the  eyelids  are  not  common  among 
animals. 

Simple  Ophthalmia 

This  is  a  simple  inflammation  of  the  membranes 
covering  the  eye.  It  is  usually  the  result  of  an  injury, 
or  of  foreign  bodies  in  the  eye,  such  as  lime  from 
white-wash,  chaff,  or  pollen. 

The  eye  is  red  and  irritated,  often  the  lids  are  red 
and  swollen,  and  there  is  a  profuse  discharge  of  tears, 
that  run  down  the  face.  The  blood-vessels  on  the 
surface  of  the  eyeball  are  distended,  and  the  membrane 
that  supports  them  presents  a  bluish  or  milky  appear- 
ance.    Strong  light  irritates  the  eye. 


Ophthalmia  309 

Seek  and  remove  the  cause.  Foreiorn  bodies  can 
often  be  removed  by  wiping  the  surface  of  the  eyeball 
with  a  soft  silk  handkerchief.  Lime  should  be  washed 
out  with  an  abundance  of  warm  water.  Then  bathe 
the  eye  with  cold  water,  apply  cold  cloths  or  bags  of  ice 
till  the  inflammation  is  reduced.  If,  however,  inflam- 
mation should  persist,  bathing  the  eye  with  hot  water 
three  times  daily  for  twenty  minutes  at  a  time  is  to  be 
recommended.  Following  this,  apply  a  few  drops  of  a 
solution  of  boric  acid,  one  dram  in  three  ounces  of 
water,  twice  daily  with  a  dropper. 

Periodic  Ophthalmia,  ^^Moon  Blindness'' 

Moon  blindness  is  a  periodic  inflammation  of  the 
deeper  structures  of  the  eye  of  horses.  Its  cause  is 
not  known,  although  it  is  generally  believed  to  be 
produced  by  germs  or  parasites.  It  was  formerly 
thought  that  the  changes  of  the  moon  caused  this 
disease,  but  this  is  wholly  erroneous.  Mares  afflicted 
with  it  should  not  be  bred,  as  the  disease  tends  to  be 
hereditary. 

There  is  inflammation  resembling  simple  ophthalmia, 
except  that  the  surface  of  the  eyeball  is  not  so  irri- 
tated ;  but  the  deeper  structures  are  more  clouded, 
there  is  a  profuse  discharge  of  tears,  the  lids  are 
swollen  and  are  kept  partially  closed  to  shield  from 
the  light,  the  eyeball  is  very  sensitive  and  appears  to 
bulge  outward.  The  inflammation  subsides  in  a  week 
or  two  ;  the  eye  clears  up,  or  nearly  so;  but  there  re- 
mains   around    the    iris    a   slight   yellow   band,   which 


310  The    Care    of  Animals 

gradually  becomes    more    marked.     The    attacks    recur 
periodically,   a  few  weeks  or  a  few  months  apart. 

The  disease  runs  its  course  to  total  and  permanent 
blindness.  The  blindness  can  be  greatly  delayed 
by  careful  treatment.  During  an  attack,  the  horse 
should  be  placed  in  a  darkened  stall,  and  the  same 
treatment  given  as  for  simple  ophthalmia.  In  addition 
to  this,  iodid  of  potash,  in  one -dram  doses,  should  be 
given  internally  as  a  drench  once  daily  for  four  or  five 
days,  then  withheld  for  an  equal  time,  and  repeated. 
Quinine,  in  dram  doses  twice  daily,  is  also  beneficial. 

Catarrhal  Conjunctivitis ,  "  Pijik  -  eye  " 

Pink-eye  is  a  contagious  inflammation  of  the  conjunc- 
tiva (the  transparent  covering  of  the  eyeball),  attacking 
horses,  especially  toward  the  spring  of  the  year.  This 
disease  affects  the  whole  system ,  more  particularly  the 
mucous  membranes.  It  is  a  sort  of  influenza.  There 
is  a  tendency  for  pregnant  mares  afldicted  with  it  to 
abort. 

The  eyes  are  red,  with  a  thick,  mueo -purulent  dis- 
charge. The  appetite  is  slight,  the  bowels  are  consti- 
pated, and  the  temperature  rises  to  103°  or  104°. 

Isolate  the  horse  and  disinfect  the  stall  with  creolin, 
or  a  5  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid.  Blanket  the 
animal  and  keep  him  warm  and  comfortable.  Give  gruels 
and  mashes  for  nourishment,  and  to  loosen  the  bowels  ; 
also  give  a  heaping  teaspoonful  of  nitrate  of  potash  dis- 
solved in  water,  twice  daily,  to  stimulate  the  kidneys 
and  reduce  the  fever.     Bathe  the  eves  with  hot  water 


Pink-eye  311 

three  times  daily  for  twenty  minutes  at  a  time,  and 
drop  in  a  solution  of  boric  acid  (one  dram  of  acid  to 
three  ounces  of  clear  water)  after  each  application  of 
hot  water. 

Worm  in  the  Eye 

In  rare  cases,  the  eyes  of  horses  may  be  attacked 
by  a  small  parasitic  worm  (Fillaria  papillosa)  that  can 
be  seen  swimming  in  the  chamber  back  of  the  pupil. 
If  allowed  to  remain,  it  ultimately  causes  blindness. 
The  only  treatment  is  removal  of  the  worm  by  a  surgical 
operation,  a  small  incision  being  made  through  the 
cornea. 


CHAPTER   XV 

PARASITES 

Parasites  are  organisms,  usually  very  small,  that 
live  either  on  the  surface  or  within  the  body  of  a  larger 
animal,  called  "the  host,''  and  gain  their  nourishment, 
directly  or  indirectly,  at  its  expense.  In  some  cases  the 
parasites  subsist  on  lifeless  matter,  but  in  other  in- 
stances they  secure  their  nourishment  directly  from  the 
living  tissues  of  the  host. 

Some  parasites  belong  to  the  vegetable  kingdom ;  for 
example,  the  mold -like  fungi  that  cause  "ringworm," 
or  "barn  itch,"  and  a  few  other  organisms  of  the  sur- 
face of  the  skin,  and  some  that  live  in  the  lungs  or 
air- passages.  Germs,  or  bacteria,  are  really  minute 
plants,  but  diseases  produced  by  these  organisms  are 
not  ordinarily  classed  as  parasitic.  Many  of  them  are 
classed  with  infectious  and  contagious  diseases. 

Most  parasites  (as  the  term  is  commonly  used  by 
veterinarians)  belong  to  the  animal  kingdom,  and  they 
can  be  divided  into  two  general  classes  :  the  insect-like 
(including,  for  convenience,  ticks  and  mites,  which 
are  closely  related  to  insects);  and  a  large  variety  of 
other  animals,  most  of  which  are  properly  classed  as 
worms.  As  a  rule,  parasites  do  not  spread  from  one 
species  of  animal  to  another,  as  from  cattle  to  sheep, 
but  there  are  some  important  exceptions  to  this. 

Some  species  of  these  parasites  pass  only  a  part  of 
(312) 


What    Parasites    Are  313 

their  life  as  parasites,  the  remainder  of  it  being  passed 
outside,  and  independent  of,  the  host's  body.  Others 
exist  only  as  parasites.  Of  the  latter,  some  kinds 
pass  their  whole  life  from  generation  to  generation  in 
the  same  species  of  host ;  others  spend  a  part  of  their 
lives  as  parasites  in  one  species  of  host  and  require 
transfer  to  another  species  to  complete  their  life-history. 
Some  kinds,  which  do  not  ordinarily  exist  as  parasites, 
become  parasitic  on  accidentally  entering  the  body  of 
an  animal.  Parasites  never  originate  spontaneously, 
but  always  come  from  parents  which  are  like  themselves 
at  some  stage  in  their  life -history. 

Very  young  and  very  old  animals  are  more  liable  to 
attack  by  parasites  than  vigorous  middle-aged  ones. 
Any  conditions  that  lessen  the  vigor  of  animals  tend 
to  increase  their  susceptibility  to  parasitic  diseases. 
Filth,  crowding  large  numbers  of  animals  together,  and, 
lack  of  sufficient  food  are  the  general  predisposing 
agencies.  The  opposite  conditions  —  clean  quarters, 
clean  skin,  plenty  of  nourishing,  laxative  food,  exercise 
and  sunlight  —  are  invaluable  in  preventing  these  dis- 
eases and  in  the  successful  treatment  of  them. 

RINGWORM 

Ringworm  is  a  disease  caused  by  a  fungus  that  grows 
in  the  skin.  It  is  usually  seen  in  cattle,  but  it  may 
occur  in  horses,  dogs,  cats,  as  well  as  in  man  himself. 
In  cattle  it  is  most  frequent  toward  spring,  after  the 
animals  have  been  confined  in  stables  during  the  winter. 
It  is  often  called  "barn  itch."     The  disease  is  not  read- 


314  The    Care    of  Animals 

ily  transmitted  from  one.  species  of  animal  to  another, 
but  under  favorable  conditions  cross -inoculation  may 
occur. 

The  disease  is  recognized  by  circular  patches,  varying 
in  diameter  from  one -half  inch  to  several  inches,  from 
which  the  hair  has  fallen.  These  patches  usually  occur 
about  the  head,  neck  or  back.  The  skin  from  which 
the  hair  has  fallen  is  slightly  thickened  and  scaly. 
There  is  some  itching  of  the  affected  part. 

Painting  the  diseased  area  with  tincture  of  iodine 
once  daily  for  a  few  days  will  kill  the  parasite.  Tur- 
pentine, kerosene,  and  a  solution  of  one  part  of  carbolic 
acid  in  twenty  parts  of  oil  are  all  excellent.  The 
disease  is  of  little  significance  and  yields  readily  to 
treatment. 

LICE 

Lice  are  small  wingless  insects,  of  a  dull  white  color, 
that  live  upon  the  surface  of  the  body  of  many  different 
animals.  Each  host  harbors  its  own  special  louse. 
It  is  seldom  that  a  species  of  louse  that  belongs  to  a 
certain  species  of  animal  will  choose  a  host  of  a  differ- 
ent species,  but  in  some  cases  and  under  favorable 
conditions  a  transfer  may  occur.  Chicken  lice  will  at- 
tack horses  and  human  beings.  Lice  are  large  enough 
to  be  seen  easily  by  the  naked  eye,  but  they  are  often 
difficult  to  find  on  the  hairy  surface  of  the  body,  espe- 
cially when  they  are  few  in  number  and  are  hidden  in 
the  dirt  and  debris  of  the  skin.  The  only  other  para- 
sites that  may  be  mistaken  for  lice  afe  the  fleas,  which 
are  easily  distinguished  by  their  jumping  habit  ;    the 


Lice  315 

ticks,  which  fasten  themselves  to  the  skin  ;  and  the 
mites,  which  either  burrow  into  the  skin  or  live  under 
crusts  on  the  surface.  Lice  vary  in  size  from  minute 
white  specks  to  some  of  the  large  bird  lice,  that  may 
be  one -third  of  an  inch   long. 

The  eggs  of  the  lice,  commonly  called  "nits,"  are 
small  white  ovoid  bodies  attached  to  the  hairs  or 
feathers.  Lice  are  exceedingly  prolific.  It  has  been 
estimated  that  under  favorable  conditions  a  pair  of  the 
louse  of  the  human  head  can  produce  at  the  third  gen- 
eration (in  about  twelve  weeks'  time)  an  aggregate  of 
125,000  individuals  ! 

The  first  symptom  of  louse  infestation  is  itching  of 
the  skin  around  the  point  of  attack.  On  most  animals, 
the  pests  first  appear  in  the  region  of  the  neck.  On  cat- 
tle they  are  most  frequently  found  along  the  back,  and 
on  pigs  just  back  of  the  ears.  Lice  are  not  confined  to 
any  region,  however,  occurring  on  any  part  of  the  body 
that  is  protected  by  hair  or  feathers.  Any  irritation  of 
the  skin,  such  as  sweating,  increases  the  itching.  To 
relieve  this,  animals  rub  themselves  against  Convenient 
objects,  lick  or  scratch  themselves  with  the  feet  or  horns, 
and,  in  the  case  of  fowls,  with  the  bill.  Lice  of  the 
biting  kind  often  produce  small,  irritated  spots,  like 
pimples,  on  the  skin.  A  careful  and  thorough  examina- 
tion of  the  animal,  in  a  good  light,  will  reveal  the  in- 
sects, as  well  as  the  eggs  or  "nits  "  attached  to  the  hairs. 
Animals  suffering  from  lice  usually  present  an  unthrifty 
appearance,  with  ragged,  dull  hair  or  plumage,  and 
dirty  skin. 

In    treating   lousy  animals   which   are  confined,  the 


316  The    Care    of  Animals 

quarters  must  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  disinfected, 
and  afterward  given  a  coat  of  paint  or  whitewash  that 
will  fill  all  cracks.  It  is  difficult  to  free  animals  from 
lice  while  in  infested  quarters. 

When  applying  remedies  to  destroy  lice,  a  second  ap- 
plication should  be  made  after  five  to  eight  days,  to  kill 
the  young  that  may  have  hatched  from  eggs  laid  before 
the  time  of  the  first  application.  Acid  solutions,  such 
as  vinegar,  one  pint  to  a  quart  of  water,  are  excellent 
for  destroying  "nits."  During  treatment  the  infested 
animals  should  be  well  supplied  with  good  food. 
For  cattle,  horses,  sheep  and  pigs,  salting  frequently 
with  a  mixture  of  one  part  of  sulfur  to  five  parts  of 
common  salt  is  to  be  recommended.  When  animals  are 
treated  with  a  solution,  in  winter,  it  should  be  applied 
on  warm  days,  or  the  animals  kept  in  a  warm  place 
until  they  are  dry. 

In  disinfecting  quarters,  all  loose  material,  litter, 
etc.,  should  be  removed  and  burned.  The  quarters, 
rubbing- posts  and  other  places  likely  to  harbor  the  lice 
and  "  nits "  must  be  thoroughly  washed  with  a  good 
disinfectant,  such  as  a  solution  of  one  part  of  carbolic 
acid  in  twenty  parts  of  water,  and,  when  dry,  white- 
washed. Kerosene  oil,  a  strong  solution  of  lye,  car- 
bolic acid  solutions  and  benzine  are  effective  in  destroj'- 
ing  parasites  about  the  quarters  of  infested  animals. 
In  using  benzine,  care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  fire  by 
not  bringing  a  flame  into  the  quarters  until  the  vapor 
has  entirely  disappeared. 

Insect-powder  is  a  good  remedy  to  use  on  fowls,  and 
on  other  animals  when  it  is  not  practicable  to  employ  a 


Lice  317 

solution.  Fine  dust,  particularly  that  which  contains 
much  powdered  air- slaked  lime,  is  often  effective  in 
destroying  lice  on  fowls;  let  the  birds  scratch  in  it. 
Air-slaked  lime  should  be  dusted  into  the  corners  and 
crevices  of  the  quarters.  Coal-tar  applied  hot  to  perches 
and  walls,  is  very  effective  in  keeping  away  house -mites 
of  chickens. 

Very  hairy  animals  are  best  treated  with  solu- 
tions that  destroy  the  lice  outright.  One  of  the  best 
remedies  is  an  alkaline  coal-tar  product  which,  when 
added  to  water,  produces  a  permanent  milky  emul- 
sion, that  is  very  efficient  in  destroying  parasites  and 
does  not  injure  nor  irritate  the  animal.  These  coal-tar 
products  are  put  on  the  market  under  various  trade 
names,  such  as  creolin,  zenoleum,  chloro-naphtholeum, 
sulfo-naphtholeum.  They  can  be  used  in  the  proportion 
of  one  part  of  the  medicine  to  fifty  parts  of  water,  or  in 
bad  cases  one  to  thirty  parts  of  water. 

Another  remedy  that  gives  good  results  is  an  in- 
fusion of  tobacco,  two  to  three  ounces  boiled  in  a  quart 
of  water.  This  solution  must  be  used  sparingly,  as  it  is 
likely  to  nauseate  the  animal. 

Another  good  remedy  is  kerosene  emulsion,  which  is 
made  by  dissolving  one  quart  of  soft  soap  or  one -fourth 
pound  of  hard  soap  in  two  quarts  of  boiling  water,  and 
adding  one  pint  of  kerosene  oil.  By  churning  or  pump- 
ing violently,  then  adding  three  quarts  of  water,  the 
emulsion  is  made  ready  for  use.  Pure  kerosene  will 
usually  take  the  hair  off.  and  should  not  be  used  un- 
less it  is  washed  off  at  once. 

Lathering    small    animals    with    tar    soap    or   green 


318  The    Care    of  Animals 

soap  and  warm,  soft  water  and  allowing  it  to  remain 
for  half  an  hour  before  washing  off,  is  usually  efficient. 
A  solution  made  by  boiling  two  ounces  of  stavesacre 
seeds  in  one  quart  of  water  is  also  excellent. 

FLEAS 

These  insects  can  be  easily  recognized  by  their  ability 
to  jump.  They  are  often  found  on  cats  and  on  long- 
haired (sometimes  on  short-haired)  dogs.  Any  of  the 
remedies  for  lice  are  efficient  in  destroying  fleas.  The 
quarters  occupied  by  the  infested  animal  should  be 
disinfected. 

SCAB    OF   SHEEP   AND   CATTLE 

Scab  in  cattle,  often  called  Texas-  or  range -itch, 
is  found  mostly  among  animals  that  are  raised  on  the 
great  plains  of  the  West.  The  disease  is  caused  by  a 
very  small  itch  mite,  which  lives  on  the  surface  and 
causes  a  scurfy  and  scabby  condition  of  the  skin,  the 
mites  living  and  reproducing  under  these  scabs.  The 
mites  attacking  cattle  and  sheep  are  different  in  kind, 
but  they  cannot  be  distinguished  by  the  naked  eye. 
The  cattle  mite  does  not  attack  other  animals,  except 
possibly  temporarily,  and  then  it  does  not  reproduce. 
The  same  rule  holds  for  the  sheep  mite. 

If  some  of  the  scabs  and  crusts  at  the  edge  of  an 
area  affected  with  scab  are  removed,  placed  in  a  clean 
dry  glass  bottle  and  allowed  to  remain  for  a  few  hours, 
minute  white  specks,  barely  visible  to  the  naked  eye, 
can  be  seen  moving  on  the  inside  of  the  glass;    these 


Scab  319 

are  the  mites.     If  they  are  examined  with  a  leus,  their 
outlines  can  be  seen. 

Scab  of  Sheep 

{Psoroptcs  communis,  var.  oris) 

At  first,  itching  of  the  skin  is  shown  by  the 
animal's  scratching  with  its  hind  feet,  or  biting 
and  pulling  wool.  In  bad  cases,  the  wool  may  be 
shed  over  very  large  surfaces;  but  in  ordinary  cases  the 
fleece  has  a  ragged  appearance  and  is  wet  and  matted 
where  the  animal  has  bitten  at  it  and  pulled  out  tags 
of  wool.  The  itching  is  more  intense  when  the  animals 
are  warm  with  exercise.  If  the  wool  is  parted  over  an 
itching  spot  and  the  skin  examined  closely,  yellow  pim- 
ples will  be  found  which,  on  being  pinched,  exude  a 
watery  fluid.  This  fluid  dries  on  the  skin  into  yellow- 
ish, greasy  scabs,  which  increase  in  area  and  thickness. 
These  scabs  are  often  torn  off  by  the  sheep,  thus  in- 
creasing the  irritation. 

An  animal  affected  with  scab  falls  away  in  flesh, 
becomes  weak  and  debilitated,  and  presents  an  unthrifty, 
ragged  appearance.  The  disease  is  most  severe  during 
the  fall  and  winter  months,  when  sheep  are  closely  con- 
fined and  are  fed  on  dry  food.  In  the  large  sheep- 
growing  regionSx  of  the  Southwest,  scab  is  a  common 
and  very  serious  disease,  causing  heavy  losses,  not  so 
much  from  the  death  of  animals  as  from  the  general 
debility  which  it  produces  in  large  herds,  and  the  eon- 
sequent  loss  of  flesh.  The  scab  mites  are  transmitted 
by  direct  contact  and  by  means  of  the  tags  and  scabs 
scattered  on  the  ground  in  yards  and  pens.     Infested 


320  The    Care    of  Animals 

stock-cars  bring  the  disease  to  healthy  animals.  When 
sheep  are  closely  confined  in  pens  or  feeding -yards  the 
disease  usually  spreads  rapidly. 

As  soon  as  a  case  of  scab  is  observed,  the  whole 
flock  should  be  dipped  in  some  solution  which  will  de- 
stroy the  parasites.  Excellent  remedies  are  the  coal-tar 
products  recommended  for  lice  (p.  317).  They  are  used 
in  the  strength  of  one  part  of  the  coal-tar  preparation  to 
50  or  75  parts  of  water.  The  dipping  solution  should  be 
warmed  to  110°  F.,  and  the  sheep  immersed  for  at  least 
two  minutes.  During  cold  weather  sheep  should  be  dipped 
only  on  warm  days  and  when  well  protected  from  cold. 

One  of  the  most  effective  dips  for  sheep  scab,  and  the 
one  that  is  probably  used  in  the  West  more  extensively 
than  all  others  combined,  is  commonly  called  the  "lime 
and  sulfur  dip."  This  dip  is  cheap  and  the  ingre- 
dients can  be  easily  obtained.  The  greatest  objection 
to  it  is  that  the  lime  is  somewhat  injurious  to  the  wool. 
The  following  is  the  formula  : 

Fresh  quick -lime 8  pounds. 

Sulfur 24  pounds. 

Water 100  gallons. 

The  lime  and  sulfur  should  be  carefully  weighed  and  pre- 
pared as  follows:  Slake  the  lime  to  form  a  thick  paste, 
sift  in  the  flowers  of  sulfur  and  stir  well;  put  this  mix- 
ture in  a  kettle  with  twenty -five  or  thirty  gallons  of 
water  and  boil  for  one  hour  at  least;  two  hours  is 
better.  The  chocolate-looking  mass  is  allowed  to  settle, 
the  clear  liquid  is  drawn  off  and  water  enough  is  added 
to  make  one  hundred  gallons.  The  ooze  or  sediment 
should  not  be  used  in  the  dip. 


Dips  for   Sheep    Scab  321 

Dips  are  rendered  more  effective  by  adding  a  decoc- 
tion of  tobacco,  about  thirty  pounds  to  100  gallons  of 
water. 

It  is  better  to  avoid  dips  containing  arsenic,  which, 
being  poisonous,  must  be  used  with  great  caution.  The 
following  directions  from  the  Department  of  Agriculture 
cover  the  subject  well: 

"(1)  Select  a  dip  containing  sulfur.  If  a  prepared 
dip  is  used  which  does  not  contain  sulfur,  it  is  always 
safer  to  add  about  sixteen  and  one -half  pounds  of  the 
sifted  flowers  of  sulfur  to  every  100  gallons  of  water, 
especially  if,  after  dipping,  the  sheep  have  to  be 
returned  to  their  old  pastures. 

"(2)  Shear  all  the  sheep  at  one  time,  and  imme- 
diately after  shearing  confine  them  to  one  half  the  farm 
for  two  to  four  weeks.  Many  persons  prefer  to  dip 
immediately  after  shearing. 

'^(3)  At  the  end  of  this  time,  dip  every  sheep  (and 
every  goat,  also,  if  there  are  any  on  the  farm). 

"  (4)  Ten  daj's  later,  dip  the  entire  flock  the  second 
time. 

"  (5)  After  the  second  dipping,  place  the  flock  on  the 
portion  of  the  farm  from  which  they  have  been  excluded 
during  the  previous  four  or  five  weeks. 

"  (6)  Keep  each  sheep  in  the  dip  for  two  minutes  by 
the  watch;  do  not  guess  at  the  time,  and  duck  its  head 
at  least  once. 

"(7)  Be  careful  in  dipping  rams,  as  they  are  more 
likely  to  be  overcome  in  the  dip  than  the  ewes." 

When  any  number  of  sheep  are  to  be  treated,  special 
dipping  vats,  constructed  with  draining  pens,   will  be 


322  The    Care   of  Animals 

found  to  be  most  economical.  The  vats  should  be  fifty 
feet  long  and  so  arranged  that  the  temperature  can  be 
maintained  by  steam  admitted  at  the  bottom. 

The  dipping  of  sheep  should  be  repeated  within  ten 
days  ( preferably  about  a  week ) ,  in  order  to  destroy 
mites  which  hatch  after  the  first  dipping.  Dipping 
sheep  destroys  not  only  the  scab  mite,  but  also  sheep 
ticks  (page  338)  and  other  parasites  of  the  skin.  Scabby 
sheep  should  be  carefully  fed  and  cared  for,  and  no 
healthy  sheep  allowed  in  contact  with  them  or  on 
ground  that  has  been  infested,  until  the  disease  has  been 
eradicated  and  the  premises  disinfected. 

Scah  of  Cattle 

Cattle  scab  or  itch  is  caused  by  a  mite  (Psoroptes 
commu7iis,y'di\  hovis)  very  closely  resembling  the  mite  of 
sheep  scab.  It  occurs  mostly  in  the  great  cattle -grow- 
ing regions  of  the  West,  where  it  is  known  as  Texas, 
range,  or  cattle  itch. 

Cattle  itch  does  not  cause  apparent  trouble  during 
the  grazing  season ;  but  when  the  cattle  are  on  dry  feed 
in  winter,  or  when  first  turned  on  grass  in  early  spring, 
the  trouble  exhibits  itself,  and  may  cause  considerable 
loss.  It  is  usually  confined  to  young  cattle,  or  to  those 
out  of  condition.  The  first  symptom  is  an  intense  itch- 
ing of  the  skin,  usually  in  the  region  of  the  neck  and 
shoulders.  The  animals  lick  themselves,  dig  at  the  skin 
with  their  teeth  or  horns,  rub  against  posts  and  other 
objects,  sometimes  even  upon  barbed  wire,  and  often 
tearing  the  skin  until  it  bleeds. 


Cattle    Scab  323 

The  itch  gradually  spreads  along  the  back,  sides,  and 
down  on  the  outside  of  the  legs.  It  does  not  seem  to 
occur  on  the  inside  of  the  legs,  thighs,  or  the  tliin  skin 
of  the  abdomen.  In  its  early  stages,  the  coat  looks 
rough,  the  hair  standing  on  end.  The  skin  becomes 
scurfy,  and,  a  gummy  exudation  from  it  forms  a  crust 
in  the  hair  sometimes  one -half  an  inch  thick.  The 
hair  then  comes  off,  or  is  rubbed  from  the  badly 
affected  areas,  leaving  bald  patches  of  thickened,  cal- 
loused and  wrinkled  skin.  These  patches  often  show 
first  and  most  prominently  on  the  top  of  the  neck,  which 
looks  like  the  neck  of  an  ox  that  has  been  calloused 
from  wearing  a  yoke. 

After  the  hair  comes  off,  the  parasites  leave  the  part, 
the  bald  areas  get  well,  and  the  hair  starts  to  grow 
again.  Animals  suffering  from  this  disease  have  a  de- 
jected and  debilitated  appearance,  and  fall  away  rapidly 
in  flesh.  They  eat  but  little,  and  expend  a  considerable 
amount  of  time  and  energy  in  licking  and  scratching 
themselves. 

The  itch  spreads  quite  rapidly  through  a  bunch  of 
cattle,  especially  if  tne  general  health  of  the  animals  is 
not  good.  Six  or  eight  weeks  after  the  introduction  of 
an  infested  animal  into  a  herd  the  disease  is  usually 
thoroughly-  disseminated.  Thrifty,  vigorous  animals 
resist  infestation  much  longer  than  others,  and,  when 
attacked,  recover  much  more  quickly  under  treatment 
than  do  unthrifty  animals.  The  disease  appears  to 
spread  by  direct  contact  of  the  infested  with  healthy 
animals,  the  itch  mites  passing  directly  from  one  animal 
to  another.     It  is  also  spread  by  means  of  posts,  feed- 


324  The    Care    of  Animals 

racks,  mangers,  against  which  contaminated  animals 
have  rubbed. 

As  soon  as  this  disease  is  discovered,  those  animals 
which  show  no  symptoms  of  it  should  be  removed  to 
ground  or  yards  not  previously  occupied  by  cattle  hav- 
ing the  disease.  If  such  arrangement  is  not  possible, 
all  affected  animals  should  be  separated  from  the  healthy 
ones,  and  all  posts,  mangers,  and  feed-racks,  against 
which  infested  auimjds  have  rubbed,  should  be  thor- 
oughly disinfected  by  scrubbing  with  a  solution  of  one 
part  of  carbolic  acid  dissolved  in  twenty  parts  of  water. 
Those  auhnals  which  appear  healthy  should  be  care- 
fally  watched,  and  should  symptoms  of  the  disease  ap- 
pear the  affected  animals  should  be  separated  from  the 
others  at  once.  In  short,  every  precaution  should  be 
taken  to  isolate  the  disorder,  thereby  reducing  the  ex- 
tent of  the  attack. 

The  most  successful  medicinal  treatment  of  cattle 
itch  consists  of  a  combination  of  external  and  internal 
remedies.  The  value  of  sulfur  given  internally  in  the 
treatment  of  parasitic  diseases  is  well  known.  Sulfur 
is  best  administered  in  combination  with  salt,  placed 
where  animals  can  lick  it  at  will.  One  pound  of  flowers 
of  sulfur  mixed  with  eight  pounds  of  common  salt  is 
a  good  proportion.  If  cattle  are  not  accustomed  to 
eating  salt,  the  quantity  of  this  mixture  should  be  lim- 
ited to  a  small  haudfal  at  first,  and  gradually  increased. 
The  external  treatment  consists  in  the  application  of 
remedies  that  will  destroy  the  jiarasites  and  eggs 
without  injuring  the  animal.  If  a  large  number  of 
cattle  are  affected,  the  most  satisfactory  method  is  to 


Dips  for    Cattle    Itch  325 

build  a  dipping  vat,  through  which  the  animals  must 
swim  in  the  dip  used  to  destroy  the  mites.  The  vat 
should  be  forty  feet  long.  Efficient  remedies  used  for 
external  application  are  some  of  the  coal-tar  products, 
such  as  car-sul,  chloro-naphtholeum,  zenoleum,  creolin, 
etc.;  these  are  used  in  two  and  one-half  per  cent  solu- 
tions with  water,  that  is,  one  part  of  the  medicine  to 
forty  parts  of  water.  A  very  effective  and  cheap  dip 
is  composed  of  lime  and  sulfur  in  the  following 
proportions  : 

Flowers  of  sulfur 24  pounds. 

Unslaked  lime .  8  pounds. 

Water      100  gallons. 

Slake  the  lime  to  form  a  thick  paste,  sift  in  the 
flowers  of  sulfur,  and  stir  well ;  put  this  mixture  in  a 
kettle  with  twenty -five  or  thirty  gallons  of  water  and 
boil  for  one  hour  at  least  ;  two  hours  is  better.  The 
chocolate -looking  mass  is  allowed  to  settle,  the  clear 
liquid  is  drawn  off  and  water  enough  is  added  to  make 
one  hundred  gallons.  All  dips  should  be  used  warm, 
from  100°  to  110°  F.  Animals  should  be  kept  in  the 
dip  about  two  minutes,  or  until  the  scabs  are  thor- 
oughly saturated.  A  second  dipping  in  about  two  weeks 
will  kill  any  mites  that  may  have  hatched  after  the  first 
dipping. 

When  only  a  few  animals  are  affected,  hand  treat- 
ment can  be  resorted  to,  but  it  should  be  thoroughly 
done.  The  remedies  can  be  applied  with  scrubbing- 
brushes,  cloths  or  sponges,  and  all  scabs  and  crusts 
should  be  thoroughly  saturated.     The  remedy  should  be 


326  The    Care   of  Animals 

applied  warm,  as  in  dipping.  In  dipping  or  hand  treat- 
ing, warm  sunny  days  should  be  chosen,  as  the  animal 
suffers  less. 

MANGE 

Mange  is  a  parasitic  skin  disease  which  may  attack 
any  of  the  domestic  animals,  and  even  man  himself.  It 
is  caused  by  a  mite  closely  resembling  the  scab  mite, 
but  which  burrows  into  the  skin,  and  is  consequently 
difficult  to  deal  with.  Each  domestic  animal  has  its 
own  species  of  mange  mite.  Mange  is  rarely  seen  except 
in  dogs  and  cats. 

There  is  intense  itching,  which  causes  the  animal 
to  scratch  and  rub  the  affected  part.  The  skin  is  red 
and  thickened,  and  covered  with  small  pimples  that 
exude  a  slightly  amber -colored  fluid  that  dries  on  the 
surface  and  collects  dirt.  The  disease  gradually  spreads 
until  the  animal  presents  a  most  disagreeable  appear- 
ance. Besides  looking  badly,  the  animal  loses  flesh  and 
suffers  greatly  from  the  intense  itching. 

The  animal  should  be  isolated  from  others  of  the 
same  species,  and  the  hair  covering  the  infected  region 
should  be  clipped.  Then  apply  green  soap,  which  is 
allowed  to  remain  for  five  hours.  When  it  is  washed 
off  with  warm  water  all  scabs  and  scurf  are  removed. 
The  parts  should  be  wiped  dry  and  one  of  the  follow- 
ing remedies  applied  by  rubbing  it  thoroughly  into  the 
diseased  skin  : 

Formula  No.  1 — Creolin 1  ounce. 

Oil  of  tar 1  ounce. 

Flowers  of  sulfur 1  ounce. 

Lard  or  vaseline 8  ounces. 


Mange  327 

Mix  all  together  and  rub  into  the  affected  skin  once 
daily  for  three  or  four  days  ;  then  withhold  for  a  week, 
and  apply  again. 

Formula  N'o.  2. — Crude  petroleum,  especially  a  vari- 
ety that  is  known  as  "dynamo -oil,"  is  excellent  when 
combined  with  one  part  of  sulfur  to  eight  parts 
of  oil. 

Formula  No.  3. — Turpentine  and  carbolic  acid  are 
excellent  remedies,  but  they  must  be  diluted  with  at 
least  ten  parts  of  oil,  lard  or  vaseline,  as  they  are  too 
irritating  when  applied  strong. 

In  treating  cases  of  mange,  the  quarters  are  to  be 
kept  clean,  dry  and  airy.  It  is  well  to  disinfect  and 
whitewash  or  paint  them.  No  harness  or  other  equip- 
ment or  utensils  should  be  used  on  a  healthy  animal 
without  first  disinfecting  it  by  boiling  for  twenty 
minutes. 

FLIES 

It  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  losses  that  result  from 
the  attacks  on  domestic  animals  by  the  various  kinds 
of  flies,  especially  by  those  which  gather  about  stables 
and  yards  where  the  animals  are  confined.  These  pests 
are  rarely  the  direct  cause  of  the  death  of  an  animal, 
but  the  continued  irritation  and  worry  result  in  loss  of 
flesh  in  cows  and  in  diminution  of  the  milk  flow,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  annoyance  to  those  who  care  for  the 
stock. 

The  handling  of  these  annoyances  is  preventive. 
In  most  cases,  the  adult  fly  deposits  her  eggs  in  manure 
heaps   or   other  decomposing  organic    matter   that   re- 


828  The    Care    of  Animals 

tains  some  moisture,  and  in  a  short  time  swarms  of 
young  flies  emerge,  Tiie  removal  of  such  material  pre- 
vents the  breeding  of  the  insects.  It  also  removes  a 
part  of  the  food  supply  of  the  old  insects.  In  many 
cases  stables  can  be  protected  by  fly-screens,  or  darkened 
so  that  the  flies  will  not  pester  the  inmates.  Animals 
can  also  be  well  protected  in  some  cases  by  the  use  of 
individual  fly -nets.  There  are  upon  the  market  some 
excellent  remedies  which,  when  applied  to  the  skin  of 
the  animal  by  means  of  a  brush  or  spray,  are  offensive 
to  flies  and  will  protect  the  animal  until  the  applica- 
tion evaporates. 

A  solutibn  of  one  part  of  carbolic  acid  in  twenty 
parts  of  water,  or  a  solution  of  one  part  of  creolin  or 
similar  coal-tar  product  to  fifty  parts  of  water,  sprinkled 
about  the  stable,  tends  to  keep  the  flies  away,  as  well  as 
to  disinfect  the  stable. 

MAGGOTS 

Most  of  the  maggots  on  animals  are  the  larval  or 
"grub"  stage  of  the  flesh-fly  which  swarms  about  dwell- 
ings and  stables.  The  adult  fly  deposits  the  small,  living 
larvse  on  fresh  meat,  as  well  as  on  the  surfaces  of 
wounds,  especially  where  the  tissues  have  been  injured 
to  a  considerable  depth.  It  also  deposits  larvae  in  the 
wool  of  sheep  where  it  has  collected  manure  and  other 
filth  and  become  matted.  The  larvae  may  then  work 
their  way  into  the  skin,  causing  extensive  sores,  which 
may  result  in  the  death  of  the  animal. 

There  is  considerable  irritation,  as  shown  by  the  ani- 


Maggots  329 

maPs  shaking  or  thrusting  at  the  affected  part.  The 
diseased  area  appears  lifeless  and  spongy;  when  opened, 
the  living,  wriggling  parasites  are  found  in  the  decom- 
posing tissues.  Infestation  by  maggots  occurs  onl}'  in 
warm  weather. 

Cleanliness  is  the  first  essential  to  treatment.  Sheep 
Avith  much  wool  should  be  "tagged"  in  early  spring; 
that  is,  the  wool  should  be  trimmed  away  from  the 
anal  opening  and  vicinity,  as  well  as  from  about  the 
penis,  so  that  there  will  be  no  opportunity  for  the 
wool  to  collect  filth.  This  will  usually  prevent  the 
difficulty  in  these  regions.  In.  case  a  wound  has  been 
attacked,  the  dead  and  diseased  tissue,  with  as  many  of 
the  parasites  as  possible  and  the  surrounding  hair  and 
wool,  should  be  carefully  removed.  Kerosene  oil  and 
turpentine  are  effective  in  destroying  the  parasites. 
Turpentine  should  not  be  used  on  a  raw  wound,  nor 
about  the  anal  opening,  as  it  will  cause  too  much 
irritation.  A  solution  of  carbolic  acid  (one  part  to 
twenty  parts  of  water)  is  also  good.  After  destroying 
the  larvae,  the  wound  should  be  protected  by  tar,  or  by 
pure  creolin  or  similar  products.  Axle -grease  is  also 
useful. 

THE    SCREW -FLY 

In  Texas  and  other  southern  regions,  it  is  very  com- 
mon for  wounds  upon  domestic  animals  to  become  in- 
fested by  the  larvae  of  the  screw-fly  (Compsomyia  macel- 
laria).  These  larvae  are  commonly  called  "screw- 
worms."  The  adult  is  a  small,  bluish  green  fly,  with  a 
brown  head,   and  with    three   blac^k  stripes    lengthwise 


330  The    Care   of  Animals 

the  thorax.  The  adult  fly  deposits  its  eggs  on  the  sur- 
face of  a  wound.  They  hatch  within  a  few  hours,  the 
larvae  (maggots)  burrowing  their  way  into  the  tissues, 
where  they  remain  for  about  a  week.  Then  they  escape 
to  the  ground,  pupate,  and  soon  change  into  adult  flies. 

In  some  regions  the  screw -worms  are  a  great  pest, 
and  cause  serious  loss  to  live  stock.  They  attack  an 
animal  in  even  the  smallest  wound,  such  as  the  punc- 
tures made  by  ticks,  wire  cuts,  brands,  and  the  like. 

The  treatment  recommended  by  Dr.  Francis,  of 
Texas,  is  to  use  pure  creolin,  or  similar  coal-tar  prod- 
uct, in  a  machinist's  oil-.can,  squirting  it  thoroughly  into 
the  wound.  Oil  of  tar  is  also  good.  Fresh  wounds  can 
be  protected  by  covering  with  tar. 

THE    HORN -FLY 

The  horn -fly  is  a  small  insect  {Hcematohia  serrata) 
about  half  the  size  of  the  common  house-fly,  and  of  the 
same  general  shape.  It  was  imported  into  America  about 
1887,  and  has  spread  over  the  whole  country.  It  is  a 
European  insect.  It  causes  considerable  irritation  to 
cattle,  and  a  consequent  loss  of  milk  and  flesh.  The 
name  comes  from  the  fact  that  these  flies  collect  in 
large  numbers  at  the  base  of  the  horn  to  rest.  They 
do  not  bother  cattle  when  in  this  position,  but  bite 
them  on   the  skin  of  the  back,  sides  and  flank. 

Apply  some  substance  to  the  surface  of  the  animal's 
body  to  keep  the  flies  away.  A  mixture  of  equal  parts 
of  pine-tar,  kerosene  and  fish -oil  is  excellent.  The  tar 
is  first  "cut"  by  the  kerosene,  then  the  fish -oil  is  added. 


Horn -fly  — Bofs  331 

This  mixture  is  brushed  over  the  surface  of  the  hair  as 
often  as  may  be  necessary.  There  are  some  excellent 
anti-fly  remedies  on  the  market  that  can  be  applied  in  a 
fine  spray  from  an  instrument  made  for  that  purpose. 
As  the  flies  deposit  their  eggs  in  fresh  manure,  their  re- 
production can  be  stopped  by  spreading  the  manure 
where  it  will  dry  rapidlj^ 

BOTS   IN   HORSES 

Bots  are  the  larval  form  of  the  bot-fly  ( GastropMlus 
equi) .  The  adult  female  is  about  the  size  of  a  honey- 
bee. She  is  frequently  seen  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
summer  flying  about  horses  and  depositing  her  small 
yellow  eggs  on  the  hair  of  the  legs,  breast  and  other 
parts  of  the  body.  When  these  eggs  become  moistened 
by  the  horse's  biting  them  from  the  hair,  they  hatch,  and 
the  young  larv^  make  their  way  from  the  horse's  mouth 
down  his  throat  and  attach  themselves  by  two  small 
hooks  to  the  mucous  lining  of  the  stomach.  Here  they 
remain  during  the  fall,  winter  and  spring.  In  the  early 
summer  they  loose  their  hold  upon  the  stomach,  pass 
out  with  the  dung,  burrow  into  the  ground  and  pupate. 
The  adult  fly  soon  emerges  and,  after  mating,  deposits 
her  eggs,  and  the  life -cycle  is  complete. 

The  larvae,  or  "bots"  as  they  are  commonly  called, 
are  frequently  found  by  the  hundreds  attached  to  the 
walls  of  the  stomach  (Fig.  51);  and  yet  practically  no 
bad  effects  have  been  observed  in  living  animals.  It  is 
possible  that,  in  some  instances,  they  may  mechanically 
block  the  passage  from  the  stomach  into  the  intestines. 


332 


The    Care    of  Animals 


They  may  also  cause  some  irritation  in  the  stomach, 
but,  so  far,  veterinarians  have  been  unable  to  diagnose 
their  presence  or  to  attribute  disease  directly  to  them. 
There  is  a  popular  belief  that  bots  may  eat  holes 
through  a  horse's    stomach  ;    but    this    is   not  correct. 


Bots  in  horse's  gtomach 


though  it  is  possible  that  the  irritation  caused  by  the 
attachment  of  a  bot  may  weaken  the  walls.  When  a 
horse  dies,  the  gastric  juice  may  digest  the  walls  of  the 
stomach,  although  this  is  rare.  It  may  digest  holes  at 
the  irritated  places  where  bots  have  been  attached. 
An  amateur,  in  examining  the  stomach  after  death, 
might  conclude  readily,  but  erroneously,  that  the  bots 
had  eaten  the  holes. 


Bots  333 

There  is  no  treatment  known  that  will  remove  the 
bots  ;  they  are  extremely  resistant  to  substances  applied 
to  their  bodies.  The  writer  placed  a  portion  of  a  horse's 
stomach,  with  bots  attached  to  it,  in  absolute  alcohol, 
and  found  the  bots  alive  and  active  six  hours  afterward. 
The  only  practical  treatment  is  preventive,  i.e.,  de- 
stroying the  adult  fly  as  soon  as  she  is  observed  about 
horses,  or  scraping  the  eggs  from  the  hair  with  a  sharp- 
bladed  knife  once  a  week.  This  practice  will  prevent 
the  eggs  from  hatching  and  the  bots  from  getting  into 
the  horse's  stomach.  The  giving  of  medicines  inter- 
nally  to  remove  bots  is  useless. 

BOTS   IN   CATTLE 

There  are  two  cattle  bot-flies,  or  "warble-flies"  as 
they  are  often  called,  that  are  closely  related  and 
resemble  each  other  in  appearance  and  life -history. 
Only  one  of  these  {Hypoderma  lineata)  is  found  in  the 
United  States;  this  one  occurs  most  frequently  in 
the  southern  parts,  although  it  is  generally  dis- 
tributed. 

The  adult  of  this  species  is  about  the  size  of  the 
honey-bee.  She  deposits  her  eggs  in  summer  on  the 
skin  of  cattle  in  the  region  of  the  heel,  causing  the 
animal  much  discomfort.  When  the  animal  licks 
the  part,  the  eggs  are  taken  into  the  mouth,  where 
they  hatch  ;  and  the  larvae,  after  remaining  for  some 
time  in  the  esophagus,  or  gullet,  finally  work  their 
way  into  the  cellular  tissue  beneath  the  skin  of 
the  back.     Here  they  remain   and  develop  until  early 


334  The    Care   of  Animals 

spring,  forming  the  lumps  commonly  known  as  "war- 
bles." When  fully  developed,  the  larvae,  or  "grubs," 
work  their  way  out  through  small  openings  in  the  skin, 
drop  to  the  ground,  into  which  they  burrow  and  pupate, 
finally  emerging  as  adult  flies. 

These  bot-  or  gad-flies  of  the  ox  cause  much  loss 
to  the  cattle  industry,  not  only  on  account  of  the  serious 
discomfort  visited  upon  cattle  by  the  adult  fl}'  in  de- 
positing her  eggs,  but  also  by  the  damage  to  hides  due 
to  the  presence  of  the  openings  over  the  "warbles." 
"Grubby"  hides  are  usually  docked  one -third  in  the 
market. 

All  adult  bot-flies  observed  about  cattle  should  be 
killed,  and,  from  January  on,  every  "warble"  should 
be  treated  by  applying  turpentine  to  the  small  pore 
or  opening  directly  over  the  lump.  This  will  kill 
most  of  the  w^arbles;  the  few  that  remain  should  be 
squeezed  out  and  destroyed,  each  one  so  treated  pre- 
venting the  development  of  a  fly.  If  this  practice  were 
generally  and  carefully  followed,  the  fly  could  be  exter- 
minated. The  adult  flies  do  not  travel  far,  so  that  a  per- 
son, hy  this  means,  can  largely  rid  his  own  cattle  of  this 
pest. 

SHEEP   BOT-FLY,    "ORUB   IN   THE   HEAD" 

There  is  a  small  brown  fly  (CEstrns  oris),  about  the 
size  of  the  common  house-fly,  which  in  the  summer  and 
fall  is  seen  in  swarms  about  flocks  of  sheep.  It  greatly 
annoys  the  animals  by  depositing  living  larvge  in  the 
nostrils.  To  avoid  these  pestiferous  flies,  the  sheep 
often    stand   with    their    noses    close    to    the    ground, 


Bots   in   Sheep  335 

especially  if  the  ground  is  dusty;  they  also  collect  in 
bunches  with  their  heads  together  for  protection.  The 
larva,  as  soon  as  it  is  deposited  in  the  nostril,  makes  its 
way  up  the  nose  into  the  sinuses  or  cavities  connected 
with  the  nasal  chambers,  where  it  attaches  itself  to  the 
mucous  membrane  by  two  small  hooks.  Here  it  remains 
until  fully  developed,  when  it  loosens  its  hold  and  drops 
to  the  ground  to  pupate.     Finally,  an  adult  fly  emerges. 

While  the  larvae,  or  grubs,  are  in  the  sinuses  of  the 
head,  they  cause  great  irritation.  The  animal  snorts  and 
blows  the  nose,  and  there  is  discharge  of  pus  and 
mucus  from  the  nostrils.  The  harm  done  by  this  pest 
is  due  to  the  annoyance  and  worry  that  it  causes  the 
sheep.  The  writer  has  never  seen  a  case  where  death 
could  be  directly  attributed  to  this  fly.  There  is  a  dis- 
ease due  to  another  parasite,  called  "gid"  or  "sturdy," 
which  is  often  confused  v/ith  the  sheep  bot,  that  does 
cause  death;  but  this  pest  seldom  occurs  in  America. 
See  page  340. 

The  best  treatment  consists  in  preventing  the  fly 
from  depositing  the  larvge  in  the  nostrils  of  the  sheep; 
this  may  be  accomplished  by  keeping  the  sheep's  nose 
well  smeared  with  pine-tar.  When  there  are  but  few 
sheep,  the  tar  can  be  applied  by  catching  the  animals; 
when  there  are  large  numbers,  salt  is  usually  put  in  the 
bottom  of  V-shaped  troughs,  the  sides  of  which  are 
thoroughly  smeared  with  tar.  It  is  a  good  plan  to 
apply  tar  once  a  week  during  the  fly  season.  When 
sheep  are  seriously  affected,  they  may  be  sent  to  the 
shambles.  If  valuable,  a  good  surgeon  should  be  em- 
ployed to  remove  the  parasites. 


336  The    Care   of  Animals 

TICKS 

Ticks  and  mites  are  closeh^  related,  to  the  spider 
tribes.  They  are  not  insects.  Most  of  the  ticks  are 
only  partially  parasitic;  that  is,  only  a  part  of  their 
lives  is  spent  upon  the  bodies  of  other  animals. 

The  most  injurious    parasitic    tick    is    the    southern 
cattle  tick  (Boophilus  anniilatus) .    Fig.  52.    This  crea- 
ture is   important,    not  only   because  of  the 
losses   resulting   from    its    attacks,   but    also 
because  it  is  the  carrier  of  the  germs  of  Texas 
or   southern    cattle    fever   from    southern   to 
susceptible    northern    cattle.      The    southern 
cattle  tick  is  reddish  or  grayish  in  color;    the 
adult  female's    body    is    about   one-third    of 
an  inch   in    length,  and  resembles   in   shape 
Southern  a  Small  castor  bean.     It  attaches  itself  to  the 
natural  *ske.  skiu    of    cattlc,   particularly    in    the  regions 
maieyXwer!  whcrc  it  is  thiu,  as  betwccn  the  thighs,  on  the 
young.  belly,  between  the  fore -legs  and  on  the  neck. 

The  female,  when  fully  developed  and  distended  with 
blood  and  eggs,  looses  her  hold  on  the  animal,  drops 
to  the  ground,  and  deposits  a  large  number  of  eggs, 
which  cover  her  body.  The  eggs  hatch  in  from  two  to 
six  weeks.  The  young  ticks,  crawling  up  on  grass, 
are  brushed  off  by  grazing  cattle.  They  crawl  up  the 
legs  of  the  animals  and  attach  themselves  so  firmly  to 
the  skin  that  they  can  be  pulled  off  only  with  difficulty. 
The  southern  cattle  ticks  are  found  in  all  the  southern 
states.  They  are  more  numerous  in  a  brushy  country 
than  on  the  high,  open  prairies. 


Southern    Cattle    Tick  337 

Ticks  are  very  resistant  to  ejfforts  made  to  destroy 
them;  it  is  with  diflSculty  that  they  can  be  killed  with- 
out injuring  the  animal  to  which  they  are  attached. 
In  case  there  are  only  a  few,  they  can  be  scraped  off 
with  a  knife -blade.  When  thej"  occur  in  large  num- 
bers the  most  effective  treatment  is  to  dip  the  animal. 
In  Australia,  where  the  ravages  of  the  tick  cause  serious 
loss,  the  following  preparation,  known  as  Christian's  dip, 
is  the  most  effective  one  known  to-day.  The  formula 
for  this  dip,  as  recommended  by  Dr.  Hunt,  is  as  follows: 

Arsenic 10  pounds 

Soda   28  pounds 

Soap • 5  pounds 

Stockholm  tar 7%  pounds 

Water •    .    .  400  gallons 

The  arsenic,  soda  and  soap  are  boiled  together  in  a 
small  quantity  of  water.  The  tar  is  then  added;  then 
the  remainder  of  the  water.  Some  persons  boil  the 
whole  of  the  liquid  in  the  dip,  and  by  that  means  the 
tar  is  well  mixed. 

Although  many  experiments  have  been  made  and 
remedies  devised  in  this  country  to  remove  ticks,  none 
has  so  far  proved  perfectly  effective  in  removing  the 
danger  of  infection.  Dipping-tanks  containing  water 
and  certain  kinds  of  crude  petroleum  called  dynamo -oil 
afford  the  means  for  destroying  many  of  them. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  the  cattle  get  ticks  from 
infested  pastures,  and  that  to  prevent  their  having  ticks 
or  becoming  reinfested  after  dipping,  they  should  be 
kept  from  such  pastures.  The  discussion  of  the  Texas 
cattle  fever  itself  will  be  found  in  Chapter  XVI, 

V 


338  The    Care    of  Animals 

There  are  a  number  of  species  of  ticks  in  the  South 
that  infest  cattle  and  other  animals,  but  this  cattle  tick 
is  the  most  important.  The  sheep  tick,  so  called,  is  not 
a  tick,  but  a  %.  It  is  of  a  reddish  or  g:rayish  color, 
about  one -fourth  of  an  inch  long.  It  is  readily  de- 
stroyed by  any  of  the  dips  which  are  effective  for  scab. 

LIVER    FLUKES 

Liver  flukes  {Distoma  hepaticum)  are  small,  flat, 
lance -shaped  worms,  varying  in  length  from  one -fourth 
to  one -half  an  inch.  The  worm  attacks  cattle,  sheep, 
goats  and  pigs.  It  is  most  frequently  found  in  warm, 
moist  climates  and  on  low,  wet  lands  where  there  is 
stagnant  water.  It  usually  attacks  young  animals. 
It  causes  heavy  losses  among  sheep  and  calves  in  some 
countries.  It  has  been  estimated  that  a  million  sheep 
die  annually  from  this  disease.  It  is  common  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  United  States.  An  adult  fluke, 
infesting  the  liver  of  an  animal,  lays  a  large  number 
of  eggs,  which  pass  out  with  the  dung  and  fall  into 
water,  where  they  soon  hatch,  and  attack  snails,  pass- 
ing one  stage  of  their  life -history  as  a  parasite  of 
this  animal.  From  the  snail,  another  free-swimming 
form  of  the  parasite  escapes,  and  infests  drinking  water. 
When  these  parasites  are  taken  in  by  a  susceptible  ani- 
mal they  work  their  way  to  the  liver  and  there  become 
adult  parasites. 

In  a  few  cases,  in  the  early  stages,  an  animal  may 
die  from  apoplexy,  caused  by  some  of  the  parasites 
lodging  in  the  brain;  but  in  most  cases  the  symptoms 


Fhikes    in    the    Liver  339 

appear  gradually  and  increase  in  severity  until  the 
animal    dies    from    general    emaciation. 

The  first  symptom  noticed  is  that  the  animal  is  out 
of  condition;  the  skin  and  mucous  membranes  are  pale, 
the  hair  or  wool  is  dry  or  rough,  the  appetite  is  lost, 
and  the  animal  drinks  large  quantities  of  water.  Drop- 
sical swellings  appear  in  dependent  parts  of  the  body. 
The  bowels  may  be  constipated  or  there  may  be  profuse 
diarrhea.  These  symptoms  become  more  aggravated 
until   death   takes   place. 

Microscopic  examination  of  the  discharges  from  the 
bowels  will  often  reveal  large  numbers  of  the  eggs. 
After  death,  the  liver  is  found  to  contain  diseased, 
yellowish  nodules,  each  of  which  contains  one  of  the 
flat,  ovoid  flukes. 

The  most  satisfactory  treatment  is  to  prevent  the 
disease  by  removing  the  animals  to  uninfested  pastures, 
especially  to  those  which  are  high  and  dry,  and  allowing 
them  only  pure  fresh  water.  In  the  early  stages  of 
the  trouble,  an  abundance  of  nutritious,  easily -digested 
food  will  do  much  to  assist  in  overcoming  it.  Salting 
the  animals  daily  with  a  mixture  of  one  part  sulfur 
to  six  parts  of  common  salt  is  also  good.  Medicines, 
except  in  the  way  of  tonics,  are  of  little  value  in  the 
treatment  of  this  disease. 

BLOOD -WORMS    OF   THE    HORSE 

In  the  arteries  which  supply  the  intestines  with  blood 
there  are  frequently  found  dilations,  or  pouches,  which 
are    caused    by    the    presence    of    small    round    worms 


340  The    Care    of  Animals 

{Sclerostoma  armatum) .  These  worms  frequently  sb^t 
off  the  circulation  of  the  blood  to  the  intestines,  and 
give  rise  to  acute  and  violent  colic  that  sooner  or  later 
causes  the  death  of  the  animal. 

There  is  no  method  of  recognizing  this  disease  before 
death,  but  it  should  be  suspected  in  horses  and  mules 
that  are  subject  to  violent  colic  without  apparent  cause. 
After  death,  each  dilation  of  the  artery  (aneurism)  is 
found  to  be  filled  with  small  worms.  There  is  no 
satisfactory  treatment. 

GID,  OR    STAGGERS,  IN    SHEEP 

Tnis  disease,  which  is  rare  in  America,  is  caused  by 
t'ue  presence  of  a  parasite  in  the  brain.  The  parasite 
(Coenurus  cerebralis)  is  the  cystic,  or  larval,  form  of  a 
tapeworm  {Tcenia  ccenurus)  which  infests  the  dog, 
wolf  and  fox.  The  sheep  become  infested  while  pas- 
turing or  drinking  where  dogs  and  foxes  have  scattered 
the  eggs  of  this  tape -worm.  After  they  are  taken  into 
the  stomach,  these  eggs  hatch,  and  the  larvae  bore  their 
way  through  the  tissues  until  they  reach  the  brain, 
where  they  form  cysts  about  half  an  inch  in  diameter, 
filled  with  a  watery  fluid  iu  which  hang  a  large  number 
of  little  balls,  or  knobs. 

Lambs  and  young  sheep  are  most  liable  to  infection 
by  these  parasites.  In  the  early  stages,  the  animal 
appears  dull,  the  head  is  carried  in  peculiar  positions, 
turned  to  one  side,  upward,  or  drooped  toward  the 
ground.  The  animal  has  a  tendency  to  walk  in  a  circle, 
sometimes  to  the  right  and  sometimes  to  the  left;   there 


Gid  —  Inlestinal    Worms  341 

are  convulsions  and  trembling  of  the  muscles.  The 
animal  gradually  becomes  weaker,  until  it  is  unable  to 
walk,  and  finally  dies. 

In  rare  cases,  the  larvae  have  been  removed  surgically 
by  cutting  out  a  section  of  the  skull -bone.  But  the  only 
practical  treatment  is  preventive.  Sheep  must  be  kept 
off  infected  pastures  and  away  from  dogs  or  other 
animals  that  scatter  the  infection.  The  heads  of  sheep 
dying  from  gid  should  be  destroyed  by  boiling  or  burn- 
ing, so  that  the  cysts  will  not  be  eaten  by  dogs  and 
spread  the  contamination. 

INTESTINAL   WORMS 

The  digestive  tract  is  frequently  infested  with  para- 
sitic worms.  These  are  found  particularly  in  the  stomach' 
and  intestines.  They  are  common  in  the  dog,  cat,  pig, 
horse  and  sheep,  and  occasionally  are  found  in  cattle. 
In  most  cases,  intestinal  worms  gain  their  nourishment 
from  the  partially  digested  food,  but  some  may  live  on 
blood,  or  pus  or  serum  whi<}h  exudes  from  irritated 
tissues  to  which  the  worm  may  be  attached. 

Intestinal  and  related  worms  may  be  divided  into 
four  classes:  the  flat,  segmented,  and  usually  long, 
tape -worm  ;  the  flat,  lance -shaped  fluke -worms,  found 
in  the  liver;  the  thorn -headed  round -worms;  and  the 
common   round-worms. 

The  tape -worms  (Fig.  53)  are  usually  long,  often  mea- 
suring many  feet,  but  in  some  cases  they  may  not  be  over 
a  half  inch  in  length.  Part  of  their  life -history  is  as  fol- 
lows :   The  adult  worm  infesting  the  intestine  of  the  host 


342 


The    Care    of  Animals 


Fig.  53.    Head  and  section 
of  tape- worm. 


deposits  eggs  which  pass  out  with  the  excrement.  When 
these  eggs  are  taken  into  another  animal's  system, 
either  in  the  food  or  the  water,  they  hatch  into  a 
minute,  migratory,  larval  form,  that  bores  its  way 
through  the  tissues  until  it  reaches  some  suitable  place, 
often  in  the  muscle,  where  it  becomes  encysted.  These 
cysts  are  small,  rounded,  yellowish  masses,  containing 

the  worm -like  structure 
that  is  often  visible  to 
the  naked  eye.  These 
cysts,  when  observed  in 
the  muscular  tissue  of 
pork,  chicken,  duck, etc., 
are  commonly  called 
"measles,"  and  the  meat  is  said  to  be  '' measly"  (page  351). 
In  fish,  the  encysted  forms  of  worms  found  in  the  mus- 
cular tissue  are  commonly  called  "grubs,"  or  "worms." 
The  cycle  of  the  round -worms  found  in  the  intes- 
tines is  as  follows  :  The  ^gg  deposited  by  the  adult 
passes  out  with  the  excrement,  and  gets  into  the 
food  or  water  which  may  be  eaten  by  other  animals 
In  some  instances,  it  is  necessary  that  the  egg  be  taken 
in  by  a  certain  animal,  in  which  it  undergoes  a  larval 
stage.  In  some  worms,  the  young  are  brought  forth 
alive.  The  life-history  of  the  fringed  tape-worm  {Tcenia 
marginata) ,  which  is  frequently  found  infesting  the 
livers  and  small  intestines  of  sheep  in  the  middle  west, 
is  unknown. 

When  an  animal  is  badly  infested  with  intestinal 
worms,  some  of  the  following  symptoms  are  usually 
shown  :     The  coat  is  likely  to  be  rough  and  staring, 


Intestinal    Worms  343 

the  appetite  is  usually  capricious,  aud  the  animal  does 
not  appear  to  be  in  as  good  condition  as  the  amount 
of  food  consumed  would  warrant.  There  is  often  itch- 
ing about  the  anus,  which  causes  the  animal  to  rub 
against  various  obstacles,  often  wearing  away  the  hair 
at  the  roots  of  the  tail.  The  worms,  or  eggs,  are 
usually  passed  with  the  dung,  as  a  close  examination 
with  the  lens  may  reveal.  In  horses,  there  is  frequently 
a  collection  of  a  whitish-yellow  substance  close  to  the  anal 
opening.  In  dogs  and  sheep,  small,  white,  rectangular 
segments  of  the  flat  tape -worm  can  frequently  be  ob- 
served in  the  excrement.  Owing  to  the  habits  of  the 
animal,  the  pig  and  dog  are  most  frequently  attacked 
by  intestinal  worms.  Sheep  are  frequently  infested 
with  tape -worms,  derived  from  pastures  or  drinking 
places  infected  by  dogs,  especially  by  the  dogs  used  in 
herding  sheep.  Young  animals  that  are  out  of  condi- 
tion, or  those  fed  largely  on  one  kind  of  food,  are 
more  liable  to  attack  by  intestinal  worms. 

Pi-eventive  treatment  is  more  satisfactory^  and  eco- 
nomical than  medicinal.  Animals  liable  to  attack 
should  be  kept  in  vigorous,  thrifty  condition  by  allow- 
ing them  sufficient  and  suitable  food  in  variety.  Com- 
mon salt  should  be  supplied  to  the  animals,  but  not 
mixed  with  the  food.  The  quarters,  as  well  as  the 
food  and  water,  should  be  kept  clean  and  free  from  in- 
festation and  contamination.  In  man}-  cases,  if  animals 
affected  with  worms  are  given  a  good  variety  and  an 
abundance  of  nutritious,  laxative  food,  with  some  tonic 
medicine,  they  recover  their  normal  condition  without 
further  medicinal  treatment. 


344  The    Care    of  Animals 

The  following  tonic  condition  powders  are  excellent 
for  horses  : 

Sulfate  of  iron,  pulverized 4  ounces 

Nitrate  of  potash,  pulverized 2  ounces 

Ginger  root,  pulverized 2  ounces 

Gentian  root,  pulverized 2  ounces 

Nux  vomica  seed,  pulverized 2  ounces 

Mix  all  together  thoroughly,  and  give  from  a  small  to  a 
heaping  teaspoonful  in  the  feed  two  or  three  times 
daily.  A  mixture  of  two  parts  by  measure  of  common 
salt,  two  parts  of  wood  ashes  and  one  part  of  sulfur, 
mixed  and  placed  where  animals  can  have  access  to  it,  is 
excellent,  not  only  as  a  preventive,  but  as  treatment. 
Before  giving  medicines  (vermifuges)  for  the  purpose 
of  killing  or  removing  worms,  the  animal  should  be  fed 
very  sparingly  for  forty -eight  hours.  The  medicine 
should  be  given  on  an  empty  stomach  and  followed  by  a 
brisk  purgative  to  expel  the  worms  from  the  intestines. 
Turpentine  is  an  excellent  remedy,  in  doses  ranging 
from  one  dram  for  small  animals  to  one  to  two  ounces 
for  the  horse.  The  turpentine  should  always  be  well 
diluted,  either  with  milk,  olive  oil,  or  raw  linseed  oil,  so 
that  it  will  not  blister  the  mouth  or  throat.  These 
doses  should  be  given  once  daily,  for  two  or  three  days, 
and  followed  by  a  good  purgative. 

For  tape -worms  in  sheep  and  lambs,  koosoo  in  doses 
of  two  to  three  grains  given  in  two  ounces  of  castor 
oil  is  excellent;  as  is  also  ethereal  extract  of  male- 
shield  fern  in  one  dram  doses  combined  with  four 
ounces  of  castor  oil.     All   vermifuges  should  be  given 


Intestinal    Worms  345 

after  the  animal  has  fasted.  Animals  to  be  treated 
should  be  confined  in  a  yard  until  after  the  worms  have 
been  expelled,  and  no  uninfested  animals  should  be 
allowed  on  the  ground  until  it  has  been  thoroughly 
disinfected.  It  is  seldom  advisable  to  treat  very  weak 
and  debilitated  lambs.  When  the  whole  of  the  tape- 
worm has  been  expelled,  the  small,  tapering  head -end  of 
the  worm  can  be  found  in  the  discharges  if  a  careful 
examination  is  made.  The  upper  drawing  in  Fig.  53 
shows  the  general  appearance  of  the  head  of  a 
tape -worm. 

For  tape -worms  in  dogs,  give  pulverized  areca  nut, 
about  two  grains  for  every  pound  weight;  or  the 
ethereal  extract  of  male  -  shield  fern,  in  one  -  half 
dram  doses  combined  with  an  ounce  of  castor  oil, 
for  average  sized  dog.  An  excellent  remedy  for  all  in- 
testinal worms  in  dogs,  and  especially  the  round-worms, 
is  a  mixture  of 

Turpentine 1  part 

Pine-tar 8  parts 

Raw  linseed  oil 8  parts 

The  tar  should  be  "  cut "  with  the  turpentine  and  then 
thoroughly  mixed  with  the  oil.  The  dose  is  from  one 
to  four  ounces,  depending  on  the  size  and  age  of  the 
animal.  It  is  to  be  given  on  an  empty  stomach,  after 
the  animal  has  fasted  from  eighteen  to  twenty -four 
hours.  Food  and  water  are  to  be  withheld  for  four 
to  six  hours  after  the  medicine  has  been  given. 

In  giving  medicines  containing  oil,  great  care  must 
be  taken  to  prevent  choking.     Small  animals  should  be 


346  The    Care    of  Animals 

placed  on  the  rump,  and  held  between  the  knees,  while 
the  medicine  is  slowly  given  ;  if  it  is  offered  while  the 
animal  is  in  a  standing  position,  with  the  head  raised, 
the  patient  is  unable  to  swallow.  When  strangled  or 
choked  by  oily  medicines,  animals  stagger  or  fall,  as  if 
intoxicated,  "gagging,"  coughing,  and  breathing  with 
great  difficulty.  They  may  die  from  suffocation,  or 
from  pneumonia,  which  is  liable  to  follow  choking. 

STOMACH -WORM     OF     SHEEP  * 

In  some  of  the  central  states,  serious  losses  among 
lambs  result  from  the  invasion  of  the  fourth  stomach,  or 
abomasum,  by  a  parasite,  commonly  called  the  "twisted 
strongyle"  (Strongylus  contortus) .  It  is  most  frequent 
in  wet  seasons,  and  on  low,  marshy  pastures;  but  after 
the  locality  is  once  well  infested  the  disease  will  be 
found  on  high  pastures,  in  those  regions  where  there  is 
abundant  rainfall  and  the  air  is  moist. 

The  life -history  of  the  parasite  is  not  well  known. 
The  eggs  are  passed  with  the  dung,  and  hatch  after 
falling  in  moist  places.  In  this  manner,  probably,  they 
come  to  infest  pastures  and  drinking  places.  It  is 
rare  that  sheep  confined  in  barns  and  similar  dry 
places  become  infested. 

The  disease  usually  affects  young  lambs,  although 
adult  sheep  may  suffer  with  it  occasionally.  Old  sheep 
are  likely  to  resist  the  disease.  The  animal  falls  away 
in  flesh,  becomes  weak  and  debilitated,  and  has  a  dull, 
dejected    appearance.     It  eats  but   little,  and  shows    a 

*See  an  excellent  account  in  Bulletin  No.  117,  Ohio  Expt.  Station.    - 


stomach -worm   in    Sheep  347 

depraved  appetite,  craving  dirt,  dung  and  litter.  The 
eye  is  dull,  the  mucous  membranes  pale,  and  the  wool 
lacks  luster.  A  profuse  diarrhea  finally  sets  in,  which 
is  usually  fatal. 

On  opening  the  animal  after  death  and  very  carefully 
examining  the  contents  of  the  fourth  stomach,  that  lies 
just  back  of  the  "manifolds,"  a  large  number  of  small 
round  worms,  white  or  reddish  brown  in  color  and 
about  one  inch  long,  will  be  found  attached  to  the  walls 
of  the  stomach  or  twisted  together  in  bunches.  Unless 
one  is  familiar  with  them,  they  are  likely  to  be  over- 
looked, especially  if  there  is  much  food  in  the  stomach  ; 
but,  by  washing  the  contents  away  carefully  and  exam- 
ining closely,  the  parasites  can  be  found. 

Healthy  lambs  should  be  removed  from  those  show- 
ing signs  of  this  disease,  placed  on  high,  dry  pastures, 
and  allowed  to  drink  only  pure,  uninfested  water. 
Gasoline  is  one  of  the  best  remedies  for  this  disorder. 
One  tablespoonful,  shaken  up  in  four  ounces  of  sweet 
milk,  is  a  dose  for  a  lanib  weighing  from  sixty  to  one 
hundred  pounds.  The  lamb  should  fast  from  the 
evening  before  until  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when 
the  medicine  is  given,  and  no  food  or  drink  allowed 
for  three  hours  thereafter.  This  treatment  is  to  be  re- 
peated for  three  days  in  succession,  and  again  in  a 
week  or  ten  days,  if  there  is  no  improvement.  Unless 
the  animal  is  much  better,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  repeat 
the  treatment.  Be  sure  to  put  the  lamb  on  his  rump 
while  drenching,  and  do  not  tip  the  head  back,  or  it  will 
strangle.  The  Ohio  Experiment  Station  found  the 
above  to  be  the  best  treatment  for  this  disease. 


348  The    Care   of  Animals 

In  this,  as  in  all  other  parasitic  diseases,  preventive 
treatment  is  the  better  and  more  economical.  Sheep 
and  lambs  should  be  kept  from  infested  pastures,  and 
(in  localities  where  the  disease  prevails)  away  from 
low.  wet  lands  and  stagnant  water.  As  lambs  acquire 
the  parasite  from  the  pasture  or  the  drinking  place, 
they  do  not  contract  the  disease  if  they  are  kept  housed. 

LUNG -WORM 

Lambs,  pigs  and  calves  are  the  animals  most  fre- 
quently attacked  by  this  parasite  (Stronylxis  filaria) , 
although  adults  may  be  affected.  It  is  seldom  found  in 
other  species  of  animals.  There  are  several  kinds 
of  worms  that  may  attack  the  lungs,  but  the  one  men- 
tioned is  most  frequent,  and  does  the  most  damage. 
It  is  closely  related  to  the  stomach -worm  of  the  sheep. 
The  young  animals  usually  contract  the  disease  from 
infested  pastures,  drinking  places,  troughs  or  pools  of 
stagnant  water. 

The  animals  fall  away  in  flesh  and  present  an  un- 
thrifty appearance.  They  are  subject  to  violent  fits  of 
coughing  and  strangling,  often  raising  frothy  mucus, 
which  contains  the  small  white  thread-like  worms,  from 
one -half  inch  to  one  inch  in  length.  The  coughing 
increases  and  the  debility  becomes  more  marked  until 
the  animal  dies.  Usually  there  is  difficult  breathing, 
which  is  most  marked  when  the  animal  is  coughing,  or 
directly  afterwards. 

If  the  animal  is  fat  and  in  good  condition,  it  is 
often  the  most  economical  plan  to  sell  it  to  the  butcher. 


Lung -worm  349 

All  well  animals  should  be  separated  from  the  sick 
ones  and  put  on  uninfested  ground  or  quarters.  There 
are  two  plans  of  treatment.  One  is  to  place  the  in- 
fested animals  in  a  close  room  or  tent  and  fumigate 
with  sulfur  by  sprinkling  it  on  live  coals.  The  atten- 
dant should  stay  with  the  animals,  keeping  his  head 
on  the  same  level  as  theirs  until  he  can  stand  the 
fumes  no  longer.  Then  admit  fresh  air.  This  treat- 
ment should  be  given  once  daily  for  three  or  four 
days. 

Another  treatment,  which  is  more  satisfactory,  is 
to  inject  medicine  into  the  trachea,  or  windpipe,  by 
means  of  a  hypodermic  syringe.  A  mixture  of  one 
part  of  turpentine  in  two  parts  of  olive  oil  is  very  good. 
Another  remedy  is  : 

Carbolic  acid %  ounce 

Turpentine 4  ounces 

Olive  oil 8  ounces 

Whichever  of  these  remedies  is  used,  the  ingredients 
must  be  thoroughly  mixed,  and  from  one  to  three  tea- 
spoonfuls  injected  into  the  trachea  once  a  day  for  three 
days.  The  animal  must  be  placed  on  his  rump  and 
held  between  the  knees  while  the  hypodermic  needle 
is  inserted  into  the  trachea  two  or  three  inches  below 
the  throat,  and  the  medicine  gradually  injected.  In 
treating  animals  affected  with  this  or  similar  parasitic 
diseases,  the  animals  are  to  be  well  fed,  as  soon  as  the 
medicinal  treatment  has  been  completed,  with  plenty  of 
nourishing  food.  To  build  up  the  s^^stem  is  to  assist 
nature  in  overcoming  the  disease.     As  a  general  rule, 


350  The    Care    of  Animals 

parasites  and  contagious  diseases  attack  weak,  debilitated 
animals  in  preference  to  vigorous,  healthy  ones. 

GAPES    IN    FOWLS 

Gapes  in  chickens  is  due  to  the  presence  of  a  small 
round -worm  [Syngamus  trachealis)  in  the  trachea,  or 
wind -pipe.  The  female  worm  is  about  one -half  an  inch 
long;  the  male,  which  is  attached  to  the  female,  is  less 
than  half  as  long.  When  the  worms  are  found  in  the 
trachea  they  are  attached  to  the  mucous  membrane, 
from  which  the^^  obtain  the  blood  that  nourishes  them. 
After  being  detached,  the  male  presents  the  appearance 
of  a  smaller  worm  growing  or  branching  from  the  larger. 

The  worms  are  usually  found  in  young,  weak 
chickens,  but  in  some  cases  they  attack  strong  birds. 
The  chickens  contract  the  disease  from  food  or  water 
containing  the  eggs,  or  "catch"  it  from  diseased  chick- 
ens. It  is  said  that  angle  worms  from  infested  ground 
often  harbor  the  eggs  or  the  young  worms,  and  that 
when  these  "foster  parents"  are  fed  to  healthy  chickens 
they  will  transmit  the  disease. 

One  of  the  first  symptoms  is  sneezing,  followed  by 
gaping  and  attempts  to  get  rid  of  the  worm  in  the 
windpipe.  In  case  there  are  many  worms,  or  the  swell- 
ing and  inflammation  of  the  throat  is  severe,  there  is 
often  difficulty  in  breathing.  If  the  irritation  of  the 
throat  continues,  the  chick  becomes  dull,  weak  and 
stuoid,  and  finally  dies  from  exhaustion  or  suffocation. 
The  gaping  is  so  characteristic  of  this  disease  that  there 
is  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  it. 


Gapes  351 

The  best  treatment  is  to  destroy  the  chick  as  soon  as 
the  disease  is  noticed  and  burn  the  body,  thus  preventing 
the  spread  of  the  disorder.  If  possible,  shift  all  healthy 
chicks  to  uninfested  ground,  but  if  this  is  not  practi- 
cable, the  quarters  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  dis- 
infected. If  care  is  taken  to  detect  and  remove  the  first 
case  of  the  gapes  as  soon  as  it  is  discovered,  there  is 
little  danger  of  its  spread. 

In  some  cases,  the  worms  can  be  removed  from  the 
trachea  by  using  a  feather, — stripping  the  vane  till 
only  a  small  tip  remains  at  the  end,  and  inserting  this, 
wet  with  kerosene  or  turpentine,  into  the  chick's 
trachea  when  he  breathes.  If  carefully  given  a  few 
turns,  it  will  loosen  the  worms,  and  then  they  can  be 
removed.  After  a  little  experience,  a  number  of  worms 
can  be  removed  by  this  means.  They  should  be  de- 
stroyed, and  the  chick,  after  this  treatment,  should  be 
isolated  until  all  danger  is  past. 

MEASLES   IN   MEAT 

"Measles"  in  meat  is  due  to  the  presence  of  small, 
3'ellowish  spots  scattered  through  the  tissue  (page  342). 
These  yellow  spots  are  the  encysted  stage  of  some  kind 
of  tape -worm,  and,  if  taken  into  the  human  system  with- 
out being  killed  by  cooking,  they  will  probably  develop 
into  adult  tape -worms.  The  measles,  or  cysts,  are  found 
in  the  meat  of  the  pig,  ox,  duck,  chicken,  dog,  cat,  and 
rarely  the  sheep.  They  are  most  numerous  in  the 
deeper  muscle  of  the  shoulder,  back  and  neck,  but  they 
may  be  scattered  all  over  the  body.    Measly  meat  should 


352 


The    Care    of  Aiiimals 


not  be  used  for  food,  nor  placed  where  animals  can  eat 
it,  unless  it  has  been  thoroughly  cooked  to  kill  the 
parasites. 

TRICHINA    IN    MEAT 


Trichinosis  is  a  disease  especially  of  pigs  and  man, 
caused  by  the  invasion  of  the  tissues  of  the  body  by  a 
minute  round -worm  {Trichina  spiralis),  that  bores  its 
way  to  the  different  parts  of  the  body,  and  then  be- 
comes encysted.  Fig.  54.  Man  usually  contracts  the 
disease  by  eating  infested  pork  that  has  not  been  thor- 
oughly cooked.  Trichinae  in  pork  are 
invisible  to  the  naked  eye.  When  taken 
into  the  stomach,  the  encj^sted  worm  is 
liberated,  develops  into  an  adult,  and 
the  females  give  birth  to  large  numbers 
(ten  to  fifteen  thousand)  of  embryo 
young.  These  young  worms  migrate, 
boring  their  way,  or  carried  by  the  blood 
and  lymph,  to  distant  parts  of  the  body, 
there  developing  the  cj-st  stage.  When 
these  cysts  are  examined  under  a  micro- 
scope, each  is  found  to  contain  the 
small,  cylindrical  embryo  worm,  in  a  coiled  or  spiral 
position,  from  which  it  takes  its  Latin  name. 

When  meat  infested  with  trichinae  is  eaten,  there 
follows,  in  the  human  subject,  considerable  irritation  of 
the  bowels,  associated  with  diarrhea.  This  occurs  in 
three  to  ten  days  after  the  meat  has  been  eaten. 
During  this  period,  the  worms  are  multiplying  in  the 
digestive  tract  of  the  patient.     Following  this,  there  is 


Fig.  54. 
Trichina   spiralis 
encysted     in     lean 
meat.    Magnified. 


Trichince   in    Pigs  353 

severe  soreness  of  the  muscles,  associated  with  fever. 
During  this  stage,  the  young  trichinas  are  migrating, 
working  their  way  through  the  tissues  of  the  body.  In 
general,  it  has  been  said  that  the  symptoms  of  trichi- 
nosis in  man  are  those  of  "rheumatism,  associated  with 
typhoid  fever."  The  disease  has  never  been  recognized 
by  any  symptoms  shown  by  pigs.  Pigs  do  not  die  of 
trichinosis.  The  worms  can  be  found  in  the  muscular 
tissue  by  making  a  microscopical  examination.  In  ex- 
amining the  carcasses  of  pigs  for  trichinse,  specimens 
of  lean  meat  should  be  taken  from  the  deeper  muscles 
of  the  neck,  inner  face  of  the  shoulder,  "midriff"  or 
diaphragm,  tenderloin,  or  the  base  of  the  tongue,  as 
the  parasites  are  most  frequent  in  these  regions.  Esti- 
mates as  to  the  prevalence  of  trichinosis  in  pigs  varies 
from  two  to  ten  per  cent.  Pigs  that  are  kept  in  un- 
sanitary or  filthy  quarters  and  fed  upon  offal  are  more 
frequently  diseased.  There  is  no  remedy.  Pork  or  ham 
should  never  be  eaten  without  a  most  thorough  cooking. 


w 


CHAPTER    XVI 

CONTAGIOUS    AND    INFECTIOUS    DISEASES 

Contagious  and  infectious  diseases  are  those  that 
are  capable  of  transmission  from  one  animal  to  another 
of  the  same  species.  In  some  cases  they  may  even  be 
transmitted  to  animals  of  another  species,  either  by  di- 
rect contact,  or  through  some  medium  which  has  been 
infected  by  a  sick  animal.  A  contagious  disease,  as 
commonly  understood,  is  one  that  is  "catching";  that  is, 
a  well  animal  may  contract  it  without  coming  into 
actual  contact  with  the  diseased  animal.  It  ''goes  in 
the  air."  An  infectious  disease  is  contracted  only  when 
the  animal  comes  into  contact  with  the  diseased  subject 
or  with  some  of  its  excretions.  Amongst  diseases  of 
the  human  subject,  scarlet  fever  may  be  cited  as  an 
example  of  a  contagious  disease,  and  typhoid  fever  of 
an  infectious  one.  Strictly  speaking,  however,  it  is 
difficult  to  draw  a  distinct  line  between  them,  and  there 
is  now  a  tendency  to  use  the  term  "transmissible" 
rather  than  either  of  them. 

In  many  of  the  diseases  of  animals,  the  germ  that 
causes  the  particular  disorder  has  been  discovered,  and 
its  nature  is  definitely  known.  Most  of  these  germs  are 
microscopic  living  cells  belonging  to  the  lowest  order  of 
plants.  In  a  few  diseases,  the  germ  that  causes  the  trouble 
belongs  to  the  lowest  order  in  the  animal  kingdom. 

(354) 


Contagious    Diseases  355 

Vegetable  germs  are  known  generally  as  bacteria  or 
microbes.  In  many  cases  they  cause  disease  by  throw- 
ing off,  as  they  multiply  and  grow^  in  the  attacked 
animal,  a  definite  poisonous  chemical  substance  called 
a  "toxin."  If  this  toxin  exists  in  sufficient  amount 
and  is  not  neutralized,  the  animal  dies  from  its  poison- 
ing. In  many  such  diseases,  as  soon  as  the  germs  begin 
to  throw  off  the  poison,  certain  cells  of  the  animal's 
body  begin  to  manufacture  a  chemical  substance  that 
neutralizes  the  poison  made  by  the  bacteria  ;  this  sub- 
stance is  called  an  ''antitoxin."  If  the  cells  of  the  body 
are  strong  and  active,  they  usually  form  enough  antitoxin 
to  overcome  the  toxin  made  by  the  germs,  and  the  animal 
recovers.  The  power  of  resistance  to  a  disease  is  called 
"immunity."  Some  animals  are  naturally  immune; 
that  is,  they  do  not  contract  the  disease  when  they 
are  exposed  to  it.  After  an  animal  has  had  the 
disease,  or  has  been  vaccinated,  it  often  acquires  im- 
munity. 

Whenever  a  large  number  of  animals  are  gathered 
together,  the  danger  from  contagious  diseases  is  greatly 
increased,  and  extra  precaution  in  the  way  of  hygiene 
and  sanitation  must  be  observed.  Anything  that  weak- 
ens an  animal's  system  or  lowers  vitality  predisposes 
that  animal  to  attacks,  especially  by  contagious  dis- 
eases. Dark,  damp,  filthy,  and  poorly  ventilated  quar- 
ters, and  a  lack  of  proper  nourishment,  tend  to  produce 
disease  ;  while  light,  dry,  well  ventilated  quarters, 
where  the  animals  are  w^ell  nourished  and  have  sufficient 
exercise,  minimize  danger  from  disease.  Direct  sun- 
light is  a  destroyer  of  many  disease  germs. 


356  The    Care    of  Animals 

When  an  outbreak  of  a  transmissible  disease  occurs 
among  animals,  the  well  ones  should  be  removed  from 
the  sick  and  placed  in  uninfected  quarters.  Well  animals 
should  never  be  left  in  infected  stables  and  yards. 
Medicinal  treatment  in  most  contagious  diseases  is  of 
little  value.  Vaccination  or  inoculation  against  them 
is  very  effective  in  some  cases,  and  the  use  of  anti- 
toxin, or  blood  serum,  from  immune  animals,  gives 
excellent  results  in  others.  Some  kinds  of  antitoxins 
are  now  to  be  had  as  laboratory  products. 

In  treating  animals  sick  with  a  transmissible  disease, 
every  effort  should  be  directed  toward  making  the 
subject  comfortable  and  keeping  up  the  strength,  which 
will  enable  it  to  overcome  the  disease.  In  guarding 
against  such  diseases,  quarantining  is  the  most  effec- 
tive method.  Animals  suffering  from  a  contagious 
disease  readily  infect  others,  either  by  direct  contact,  or 
indirectly  by  means  of  infecting  quarters,  pastures, 
drinking  places,  food  or  other  materials.  In  adding 
new  stock  to  herds,  precautions  should  always  be  taken 
to  prevent  the  introduction  of  disease. 

GLANDERS   AXD   FARCY 

Glanders  and  farcy  are  the  same  disease,  farcy  being 
the  form  which  attacks  the  skin.  Glanders  is  a  malig- 
nant, infectious  disease,  caused  by  a  germ  (Bacillus 
mallei)  that  attacks  horses,  mules  and  asses.  It  can 
be  transmitted  to  other  animals  by  inoculation,  but  it 
rarely  occurs  except  in  man,  who  may  become  inoculated 
from  glandered  horses.     The  virus,  or  germ,  of  glan- 


Glanders  357 

ders  does  not  float  through  the  air,  but  is  transmitted 
by  direct  contact,  or  by  means  of  watering -troughs, 
feed-boxes,  hitching- posts,  equipment  or  utensils  that 
have  been  contaminated  by  a  diseased  animal.  The  dis- 
charge from  the  nose  of  a  glandered  animal  contains 
the  germs  in  large  numbers,  and  wherever  this  dis- 
charge is  scattered  it  is  liable  to  infect  other  animals. 
Perhaps  the  disease  is  sometimes  transmitted  by  means 
of  flies. 

Glanders  may  occur  in  the  chronic  form  or  the  acute 
form,  or  it  may  attack  the  skin  in  the  form  of  farcy. 
In  the  early  stages,  and  especially  in  the  chronic  form, 
glanders  is  diflicult  to  diagnose  on  account  of  its  in- 
sidious nature.  To  an  ordinary  observer,  the  horse 
appears  but  slightly  ailing,  and  yet  he  may  be  badly 
diseased  and  a  dangerous  source  of  infection. 

The  symptom  usually  noticed  first  is  a  slight  sticky 
discharge  from  one  or  both  nostrils,  thin  and  colorless. 
As  it  dries  about  one  nostril,  it  gives  the  nostril 
the  appearance  of  being  smaller  than  the  other.  As 
the  disease  progresses,  the  discharge  becomes  thicker, 
resembling  raw  linseed-oil  ;  later,  it  becomes  yellowish 
and  often  streaked  with  blood.  The  discharge  is  more 
profuse  when  the  animal  is  exercised,  or  when  the  head 
is  lowered  to  drink  or  to  eat.  There  is  a  popular  idea 
among  horsemen  that  if  the  discharge  from  the  horse's 
nose  sinks  in  water  it  is  glanders,  while  if  it  floats  it 
is  not  glanders  ;  but  this  is  not  to  be  relied  on  as 
a  test.  Raw,  ragged  ulcers,  with  depressed  centers  and 
reddish  edges,  appear  on  the  mucous  membrane  lining 
the  nostrils,  and  especially  on  the  septum,  or  partition 


358  The    Care    of  Animals 

between  the  nostrils,  and  in  the  false  nostril.  In  bad 
cases,  these  ulcers  may  perforate  or  "eat  through"  the 
septum.  The  mucous  membrane,  instead  of  being  a 
healthy  rose -pink,  becomes  a  dull  lead  or  dusky  slate 
color.  The  lymphatic  glands  under  the  jaw  and  be- 
tween the  jaw-bones  enlarge,  are  often  tender,  and  are 
usually  adherent  to  the  adjacent  tissues,  or  "grown  fast 
to  the  bone,"  as  it  is  commonly  expressed.  These  glands 
rarely  gather  and  break,  as  they  do  in  distemper. 
When  they  do  suppurate,  as  in  bad  cases  of  glandei's, 
they  are  difficult  to  heal.  As  glanders  progresses,  the 
horse  gets  "out  of  condition,"  the  coat  "stares,"  and 
there  is  a  general  debilitated  appearance.  There  is  often 
a  profuse  discharge  of  water -like  urine.  Horses  with 
chronic  cases  of  glanders  may  live  and  work  for  j-ears 
without  showing  serious  symptoms  of  the  disease;  but 
all  the  time  they  are  scattering  the  germs  of  the  disease, 
and,  without  exciting  suspicion,  often  causing  the  death 
of  many  other  horses. 

In  farcy,  the  germs  of  glanders  attack  the  skin  and 
lymphatic  glands.  This  disease  is  most  frequently  seen 
in  the  region  of  the  hind  legs,  and  first  appears  as  a 
small  firm  bunch,  or  several  bunches,  in  the  skin. 
These  may  attain  the  size  of  a  hickory  nut,  and  after 
a  time  may  break  and  discharge  an  amber  fluid  mixed 
with  pus,  that  dries  about  the  sore.  These  bunches,  or 
sores,  commonly  called  "farcy  buds,"  are  difficult  to 
heal.  They  often  spread  and  become  large  raw  sores. 
The  glands  on  the  inside  of  the  hind  legs,  together 
with  the  ducts  connecting  them,  enlarge  and  become 
tender,  and  the  hind  legs  swell.     Farcy  may  run  into 


Glanders,  Farcy  359 

glanders  and  a  horse  may  have  both  forms  of  the 
disease  at  once.  When  horses  are  closely  confined  or 
are  in  close  contact  with  others,  glanders  spreads  quite 
rapidly,  especially  if  there  are  debilitating  influences, 
as  on  shipboard  or  in  army  service.  In  other  cases, 
a  glandered  horse  may  work  with  a  mate  for  some 
time  without  communi(3ating  the  disease. 

When  an  animal  is  suspected  of  glanders  or  farcy, 
it  should  be  isolated  and  carefully  cared  for,  to  pre- 
vent the  infection  of  persons  or  other  animals.  The 
horse  should  be  quarantined  and  the  development  of 
the  disease  very  closely  watched;  the  animal  may  be 
tested  with  mallein,  which  is  a  toxin  similar  to  tubercu- 
lin, a  rise  of  temperature,  following  the  injection,  in- 
dicating the  presence  of  glanders.  Mallein  affords  an 
excellent  means  of  diagnosing  the  disease,  and  it  has 
no  bad  effects,  except  some  swelling  that  may  follow  at 
the  point  of  injection.  Inoculating  a  male  Guinea-pig 
with  the  virus  obtained  from  the  discharge  from  a  sus- 
pected animal  causes  swelling  of  the  testicles  of  the 
pig  and  an  angry  sore  at  the  point  of  inoculation,  if 
the  disease  is  glanders. 

Glanders  is  practically  an  incurable  disease,  and  an 
animal  should  be  killed  and  the  carcass  burned  or 
buried  deeply  as  soon  as  the  danger  is  recognized.  The 
quarters  where  the  animal  has  been  should  be  thor- 
oughly disinfected,  by  removing  and  burning  all  dirt, 
litter,  etc.,  and  applying  a  solution  of  corrosive  subli- 
mate (one  part  to  five  hundred  of  water)  or  some  equally 
strong  antiseptic  to  the  floor,  mangers,  partitions  and 
feed -boxes.      When    this    has    dried,    a    good    coat    of 


360  The    Care    of  Animals 

white -wash  or  paint  should  be  applied.  All  equipment 
that  has  been  in  contact  with  the  animal  should  be 
burned,  or  disinfected  by  boiling  for  one  hour.  All 
persons  who  may  come  in  contact  with  a  glandered 
animal  should  exercise  the  utmost  caution,  to  prevent 
contracting  the  disease  through  sore  places  on  the 
hands  or  by  rubbing  the  ej^es  or  nose,  as  the  disease 
is  fatal  and  extremely  loathsome. 

Most  states  have  stringent  laws  for  protection  against 
this  disease,  and  in  some  states  a  small  price  is  paid 
for  diseased  animals  condemned  by  the  proper  author- 
ities. In  nearly  all  states,  there  are  heavy  penal- 
ties imposed  on  persons  convicted  of  disposing  of 
glandered   animals. 

ANTHRAX,    CHARBON 

Anthrax,  or  charbon,  is  a  malignant  infectious  dis- 
ease attacking  all  domestic  animals,  and  man  himself, 
when  he  is  infected  from  animals.  Anthrax  is  not 
very  common  in  the  northeastern  states,  but  in  some 
parts  of  the  west,  and  much  more  commonly  in  the 
south,  it  causes  serious  losses  in  cattle,  sheep,  and  mules. 
In  some  parts  of  Europe,  also,  severe  losses  result  from 
it.  The  disease  is  likely  to  occur  in  the  vicinity  of 
tanneries,  the  infection  being  brought  in  with  hides; 
or  in  localities  where  the  disease  has  existed  before, 
and  the  infection  still  remains;  or  where  it  has  been 
scattered  from  infected  localities,  either  by  diseased 
animals,  or  contaminated  materials,  th-at  maj^  be  carried 
by  dogs  or  other  animals,  or  washed  by  streams.     An- 


Anthrax  361 

thrax  is  caused  by  the  anthrax  bacillus,  a  slender  rod- 
shaped  germ  that  can  easily  be  found  by  making  a 
microscopical  examination  of  the  blood  or  tissues  of 
a  diseased  animal.  In  stab  cultures  in  agar  or  gelatine 
the  anthrax  germs  grow  readily  in  peculiar  "frost  crys- 
tal "  colonies. 

Anthrax  occurs  most  frequently  in  cattle,  sheep 
and  mules.  The  symptoms  vary  greatly.  In  some 
cases  there  is  an  absence  of  definite  sj^mptoms,  the 
animal  dying  very  suddenly,  with  few  or  no  premoni- 
tory warnings.  This  is  often  called  the  "apoplectic" 
form.  Other  cases  show  a  high  fever  with  delirium, 
or  severe  straining  associated  with  discharges  of  bloody 
mucus  from  the  bowels  or  other  natural  openings  of 
the  body.  The  mucous  membranes  are  bluish  in  color, 
and  there  is  great  weakness  and  postration,  as  shown 
by  the  trembling  of  the  muscles.  There  are  often 
boils  or  pustules  on  various  parts  of  the  body  filled 
with  a  dark  red  fluid.  Frequently  there  are  dropsical 
swellings  on  the  body,  with  oozing  of  bloody  fluid 
through  the  skin.  In  man,  anthrax  is  sometimes  called 
"malignant  pustule,"  because  it  appears  as  a  sore  on 
the  face,  and  "wool  sorters'  disease,"  because  it  is 
sometimes  contracted  from  infected  wool. 

After  death,  bloody  or  hemorrhagic  spots  are  found 
in  the  muscles  and  internal  organs,  the  spleen  is 
greatly  enlarged,  the  blood  is  dark,  thick  and  muddy 
in  appearance,  the  veins  are  distended  with  dark  blood, 
and  there  are  bloody  fluids  escaping  from  the  openings 
of  the  body.  Anthrax  can  be  diagnosed  by  examining 
the  blood  and  other  tissues  microscopically  for  germs 


362  The    Care   of  Animals 

of  the  disease,  by  making  artificial  cultures  on  agar  or 
gelatine,  or  by  inoculating  a  small  animal. 

Treatment  in  a  medicinal  way  is  of  little  or  no  value. 
A  vaccine  has  been  discovered  that  is  very  effective  in 
preventing  the  disease.  This  is  used  extensively  and 
successfully  in  the  localities  where  the  disease  occurs, 
both  in  this  country  and  in  Europe.  It  can  be  pur- 
chased on  the  market.  Great  care  should  be  taken  to 
prevent  the  spread  of  the  disease.  All  contaminated 
materials  should  be  burned,  quarters  disinfected  as  rec- 
ommended for  glanders,  and  a  stringent  quarantine 
maintained  about  infected  localities.  Infected  pastures 
are  to  be  avoided,  as  well  as  streams  along  which  ani- 
mals have  died.  Persons  coming  in  contact  with  animals 
affected  with  anthrax  should  be  careful,  as  the  disease 
is  very  dangerous.  The  mortality  among  animals 
during  an  outbreak  is  usually  very  high.  Whenever  a 
contagious  disease  occurs  that  attacks  various  domestic 
animals  and  causes  death,  anthrax  should  be  suspected, 
and  skilled  advice  should  be  called. 

BLACKLEG 

This  disease  is  also  called  "black  quarter"  and 
"quarter  ill,"  and  is  sometimes  described  under  the 
name  of  "symptomatic  anthrax,"  but  it  has  no  relation 
to  true  anthrax.  Blackleg  is  a  disease  of  young  cattle, 
attacking  them  from  calves  a  few  weeks  old  to  cattle  two 
and  sometimes  three  years  old.  The  disorder  is  caused 
by  a  germ  that  the  cattle  get  in  pasture,  or  in  food 
or  drinking  water.     The  disease  is  distributed  over  a 


Blackleg  363 

large  part  of  this  country,  and  causes  serious  losses  in 
the  central  and  western  stock -raising*  states. 

Calves  that  are  in  good  condition,  or  fat,  are  more 
likely  to  contract  the  disease  than  those  in  thin  flesh. 
In  some  countries,  the  disease  is  said  to  be  confined  to 
low -lying  pastures;  but  in  the  western  states  it  is  quite 
as  frequent  on  the  high,  dry  prairies  as  on  lower  lands. 
It  is  thought  that  the  germ  of  the  disease  does  not 
belong  naturally  within  the  animal  body;  but,  taken 
into  the  bodies  of  young  cattle,  it  finds  conditions  favor- 
able for  multiplying,  and  produces  the  disease.  Black- 
leg may  develop  on  pastures  and  in  localities  where  it 
has  never  been  known  before,  and  where  there  seems 
to  be  no  possibility  of  the  germs  having  been  in- 
troduced. 

The  affected  calf  is  first  noticed  Ij'ing  down  apart 
from  the  others.  If  driven  up,  it  is  found  to  be  stiff  and 
lame  in  one  leg,  or  one  whole  side  of  the  body  may 
be  almost  useless.  There  are  swellings  on  some  part  of 
the  affected  leg  or  side,  which,  if  rubbed  firmly  with  the 
hand,  will  be  found  to  be  filled  with  gas  and  will  emit  a 
crackling  sound.  This  is  a  characteristic  symptom  of 
this  disease.  Calves  with  blackleg  will  usually  live 
for  some  days;   only  a  few  recover. 

Well  calves  should  be  removed  to  uninfected  pastures 
or  quarters,  and  given  water  that  has  not  been  contami- 
nated. Medicinal  treatment  is  of  little  value.  Exer- 
cise and  purging  with  salts  are  recommended,  the  latter 
being  given  as  a  drench  in  one -half  to  one  pound 
doses.  All  susceptible  animals  should  be  vaccinated 
with  blackleg  virus — a  safe  and  reliable  preventive.     In 


364  The    Care    of  Animals 

regions   where    this  disease   prevails,   calves    should   be 
vaccinated  before  the  trouble  occurs. 

Directions  for    Using    Blackleg    Vaccine 

Blackleg  vaccine  is  made  from  diseased  flesh  taken 
from  a  calf  that  has  died  from  blackleg.  This  is  cut 
into  thin  strips  and  dried  at  a  temperature  of  about 
100°  Fahr.  It  is  then  ground  into  fine  powder  and 
weakened  by  heating.  Two  forms  of  vaccine  are  pre- 
pared: the  "single  vaccine,"  which  requires  but  one  in- 
jection or  application;  and  the  "double  vaccine,"  which 
requires  two   injections  about  ten  days  apart. 

The  first,  or  weakest,  of  the  double  vaccine  is  heated 
for  six  hours  at  a  temperature  of  210°  to  212° 
Fahr.  This  first  vaccine  is  intended  to  prepare  the 
animal's  system  for  the  second  dose,  which  is  very  much 
stronger.  The  second  vaccine  is  prepared  by  heating  it 
for  six  hours  at  a  temperature  of  167°  to  169°  Fahr. 

The  single  vaccine  is  of  medium  strength,  and  re- 
quires but  a  single  application.  This  is  made  ready  by 
heating  the  virus  for  six  hours  at  197°  Fahr.  The 
double  vaccine  is  safer  to  use  and  gives  better  protection 
than  the  single,  and  is  generally  to  be  recommended,  the 
only  objection  being  that  it  requires  handling  the  cattle 
twice.  Single  vaccine  should  not  be  used  on  animals 
that  are  very  fat,  as  they  are  especially  susceptible  to 
blackleg.  In  case  blackleg  has  already  broken  out  in 
a  bunch  of  young  cattle,  the  single  vaccine  is  usually 
recommended. 

Vaccine  is  also  prepared  in  the  form  of  a  little  pill, 


Vaccinating  for    Blackleg 


365 


or  a  piece  of  string  saturated  with  the  material;  either 
of  which  is  to  be  inserted  beneath  the  skin  with  special 
instruments  made  for  the  purpose.  The  powdered  vac- 
cine, which  is  the  kind  generally  used,  requires  to  be 
mixed  with  water,  filtered,  and  injected  beneath  the  skin 
by  means  of  a  hypodermic  syringe.  Fig.  55.  The 
powdered  vaccine  is  put  up  in  little  ten-  and 
twenty-five-dose  packages,  the  number  of 
doses  being  indicated  on  the  wrapper. 

In  preparing  the  vaccine  and  using  it, 
care  must  be  taken  that  the  instruments 
and  the  other  accessories  are  absolutely 
clean  and  sterilized.  In  using  the  double 
vaccine,  the  powder  is  first  placed  in  a 
little  porcelain  mortar  and  some  clean  boiled 
water  measured  out,  a  few  drops  of  which 
are  added  to  the  vaccine,  which  is  thoroughly 
ground  into  a  very  fine  paste  in  the  mortar. 
After  this  is  done,  the  remainder  of  the 
boiled  and  cooled  water  is  added,  one  cubic 
centimeter  for  each  dose  of  vaccine.  The 
mixture  is  then  filtered  through  filter -paper 
or  cotton  placed  in  a  sterile  glass  funnel, 
and  is  then  ready  for  use.  The  syringe  is 
filled  with  the  vaccine,  and  one  cubic  centimeter  is  in- 
jected beneath  the  skin  of  each  animal  over  eight 
months  old;  under  eight  months,  the  dose  should  be 
graduated  according  to  the  size  of  the  animal. 

The  safest  place  to  inject  the  vaccine  is  on  the  under 
side  of  the  tail  about  four  inches  from  the  tip,  although 
some  vaccines  may  be  injected  beneath  the  skin  of  the 


Fig.  55.  Hypo- 
dermic syringe 
for  vaccinating. 


366  The    Care    of  Animals 

neck  or  shoulder.  In  case  the  latter  place  is  chosen,  care 
should  be  taken  not  to  push  the  needle  into  the  mus- 
cles, but  simply  into  the  loose  tissue  beneath  the  skin. 
The  single  vaccines  should  be  used  in  the  tail,  to  insure 
safety.  Vaccine  should  not  be  kept  more  than  an  hour 
or  two  after  mixing,  and  then  only  in  a  clean,  well- 
stoppered  bottle.  Vaccinating  instruments,  with  the 
necessarj^  accessories,  can  be  purchased  at  from  $3.50 
to  $5.00.  Before  using,  the  instruments  should  be 
thoroughly  cleaned  with  boiling  water,  and  this  precau- 
tion should  be  repeated  just  after  u^ing.  Any  cotton  or 
filter  paper  which  contains  sediment  should  be  burned. 
In  using  the  double  method,  the  second  vaccine  should 
be  prepared  as  already  described,  and  injected  about  ten 
days  after  the  first  vaccination. 

Vaccination  will  ordinarily  protect  cattle  for  one  year, 
although  calves  under  eight  months  old  should  be  re- 
vaccinated,  if  possible,  when  they  are  yearlings.  The 
best  time  to  vaccinate  cattle  is  before  they  are  turned  on 
grass  in  the  spring,  or  just  before  they  are  placed  on 
dry  feed  in  the  fall.  Avoid  extremes  of  weather  when 
vaccinating,  as  well  as  in  branding  or  other  surgical 
operations  that  are  likely  to  lessen  the  vitality  of  the 
animal.  If  the  cattle  can  be  confined  in  a  narrow  stall, 
or,  better,  in  a  narrow  chute,  with  a  little  practice  a 
hundred  head  an  hour  can  be  vaccinated.  There  are  no 
visible  effects  from  vaccination,  if  the  operation  is  care- 
fully performed.  Full  directions  for  use  accompany  all 
the  vaccines  that  are  on  the  market. 

A  medicine  that  is  used  as  a  preventive  of  blackleg 
in  some  parts  of  the  West  is  as  follows: 


Blackleg — Rabies  367 

Sulfur 10  pounds 

Saltpeter 3  pounds 

Sulfate  of  iron 6  pounds 

Air-slaked  lime 3  pounds 

Pulverize  the  ingredients,  mix  thoroughly,  and  use 
one  pound  of  this  mixture  in  one  gallon  of  common 
salt.  This  is  to  be  given  to  animals  in  the  place  of 
common  salt. 

RABIES,    HYDROPHOBIA 

Rabies  is  an  infectious  disease,  originating  in  dogs, 
possibly  also  in  wolves,  cats  and  skunks,  and  by  them 
transmitted  to  other  animals  by  direct  inoculation, 
usually  by  biting.  Animals  suffering  from  rabies  are 
said  to  be  "mad."  Hydrophobia,  the  common  name, 
means  "fear  of  water,"  and  the  inference  is  that  animals 
suffering  from  this  disease  are  afraid  of  water;  but 
this  is  not  true.  "Mad"  animals  usually  crave  water, 
but  the  excitement  and  effort  of  drinking  are  likely  to 
cause  convulsions,  which  have  been  mistaken  for  fear. 

Although  rabies  has  been  studied  extensively,  and  an 
attenuated  virus  for  preventing  the  disease  has  been 
discovered  and  introduced  by  Louis  Pasteur,  the  germ 
that  causes  the  disease,  if  germ  it  is,  has  not  yet  been 
isolated.  The  virus  exists  in  the  saliva,  as  well  as 
in  some  other  parts  of  the  body,  and  when  injected 
into  a  wound  is  likely  to  cause  the  disease.  There  is 
less  danger  from  being  bitten  when  the  teeth  of  the 
rabid  animal  are  cleaned  by  biting  through  cloth  or 
leather. 

There  is  a  popular  idea  that  rabies  is  most  prevalent 


368  The    Care    of  Animals 

during  the  hot  months,  but  statistics  show  that  a 
slightly  greater  number  of  cases.,  occur  during  the 
winter  months.  In  the  dog,  rabies  occurs  in  two 
forms,  the  dumb  and  the  furious,  the  latter  being  the 
most  frequently  observed.  The  period  of  incubation, — 
that  is  the  time  that  elapses  after  th^^Qinimal  or  person 
is  bitten  and  the  appearing  of  first  sj^raptoms  of  the 
disease, — varies  from  a  few  days  to  many  months,  the 
average  being  from  three  to  six  weeks. 

The  first  symptom  usually  seen  in  dogs  is  a  dull, 
depressed  condition.  The  dog  crawls  into  obscure  places 
and  dislikes  to  be  disturbed.  He  licks  the  original 
wound  and  the  genital  organs.  The  appetite  is  ab- 
normal, the  dog  eating  grass,  sticks,  dung,  and  the  like. 
As  the  disease  progresses,  the  dog  becomes  cross,  snap- 
ping at  space  or  at  inanimate  objects,  at  other  animals, 
and  at  persons. 

A  rabid  dog  shows  a  tendency  to  wander,  often  going 
long  distances  and  attacking  persons  and  animals.  If 
confined,  he  will  bite  sticks  or  other  objects,  and  some- 
times will  tear  his  own  flesh.  In  the  later  stages  of  the 
disease,  the  dog  becomes  exhausted,  the  eyes  sunken 
and  the  body  emaciated.  Associated  with  this  is  paral- 
ysis, particularly  of  the  hind  parts  and  the  lower  jaw, 
the  latter  condition  being  accompanied  with  a  discharge 
of  saliva.  The  bark  of  a  rabid  dog  is  peculiar, — a 
short  bark  prolonged  into  a  whine.  Death  occurs  from 
exhaustion  soon  after  paralysis  sets  in. 

Post-mortem  examination  of  dogs  that  have  died 
from  rabies  does  not  give  definite  information.  There 
is   slight    irritation    of    the   stomach    and    bowels,   the 


Babies  369 

stomach  often  containing  sticks  and  other  foreign 
bodies  swallowed  by  the  dog  during  the  progress  of 
the  disease.  In  order  to  diagnose  suspected  cases  of 
rabies,  inoculations  of  the  cranial  cavities  of  rabbits 
can  be  made  with  some  of  the  spinal  marrow  from  the 
suspected  case.  If  the  rabbit  contracts  rabies,  the 
diagnosis  is  positive. 

The  symptoms  of  rabies  in  cattle  are  delirium,  in 
which  the  diseased  animal  attacks  other,  and  particu- 
larly smaller  animals  and  persons;  trembliug  of  the 
muscles,  and  difficulty  in  walking,  due  to  a  knuckling  of 
the  fetlocks.  In  most  cases  the  animal  keeps  up  a 
hoarse  bellowing,  and  there  is  violent  straining  as  if  to 
pass  excrement. 

Horses,  when  attacked  by  rabies,  become  excited  and 
furious,  attacking  other  animals  or  inanimate  objects, 
sometimes  breaking  their  teeth  in  their  fury. 

After  an  animal  has  contracted  the  disease  it  should 
be  put  out  of  its  misery,  as  there  is  no  hope  of  recovery 
from  rabies.  When  a  person  or  animal  is  bitten  by 
an  animal  supposed  to  be  rabid,  the  wound  should  be 
cauterized  Avith  nitrate  of  silver  or  other  strong  caustic, 
and  antiseptics  freely  used.  Dogs  are  to  be  securely 
confined,  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  their  injuring 
any  one.  They  are  likely  to  disappear  should  the  dis- 
ease develop.  Persons  bitten  by  rabid  animals  should 
have  the  Pasteur  treatment. 

When  an  outbreak  of  rabies  occurs  among  cattle,  the 
drinking  place  should  be  disinfected,  and  the  healthy 
animals  kept  from  the  rabid  to  prevent  the  possibility 
of  infection. 


370  The    Care    of  Animals 

TEXAS,  OR  SOUTHERN  CATTLE  FEVER 

This  disease  is  also  called  Spanish,  splenic,  acclima- 
tion, and  (in  Australia)  "tick"  fever.  In  some  regions, 
owing  to  the  color  of  the  urine,  the  disease  is  called 
"red water."  It  is  caused  by  a  microscopic  animal 
germ  (Pyrosoma  higoninum) ,  and  is  transmitted  from 
southern  to  susceptible  northern  cattle  by  means  of 
the  southern  cattle-tick  (Boophilus  annulatus) .  Fig. 
52.  Southern  cattle  coming  from  the  region  south  of 
central  Virginia  and  Tennessee,  and  east  of  central 
Indian  Territory  and  Texas,  and  from  Lower  Cali- 
fornia, come  from  a  permanently  infected  territory, 
and  have  the  germs  of  Texas  fever  in  their  blood;  but 
they  do  not  suffer  from  Texas  fever,  as  they  possess 
immunity.  The  region  described  is  south  and  east  of 
the  quarantine  line  established  by  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  and  marks  the  northern  and 
western  limits  of  the  region  permanently  infested  by 
the  southern  cattle -tick. 

When  southern  cattle  are  brought  north  during  the 
warm  season  of  the  year,  the  mature  female  ticks  drop 
from  their  bodies  and  lay  a  great  number  of  eggs  that 
hatch  in  from  two  to  six  weeks.  The  young  ticks 
are  quite  active  and  show  a  tendency  to  crawl  up  on 
grass  rather  than  side  wise.  When  susceptible  north- 
ern cattle  pass  over  the  tick  -  infested  ground,  these 
young  ticks  get  on  their  legs,  crawl  up  to  their  bodies 
and  soon  bury  their  mouth -parts  in  the  thin  skin  on 
the  belly  or  the  inside  of  the  thighs.  In  this  manner 
they   transmit  the    germs    of   the    disease.     About   ten 


Texas    Fever  371 

days  after  the  young  ticks  are  established  on  the  sus- 
ceptible cattle,  the  animals  begin  to  show  symptoms  of 
Texas  fever.  Ordinarily  from  thirty  to  forty  days 
elapse  after  southern  cattle  pass  over  and  infest  the 
ground,  before  northern  cattle  come  down  with  the 
fever;  but  this  time  may  be  extended  several  weeks, 
depending  on  the  temperature.  When  susceptible  north- 
ern cattle  are  taken  into  southern  territory  that  is  in- 
fested by  the  cattle -tick,  the  symptoms  of  the  fever 
usually  appear  in  about  ten  days.  The  mortality 
from  Texas  fever  is  high,  varying  from  twenty -five  to 
ninety  per  cent,  depending  on  the  weather  and  the 
amount  of  infection. 

In  some  regions  in  the  South  close  to  the  quarantine 
line,  Texas  fever  is  quite  common  among  cows  that 
run  at  large,  or  on  the  commons.  In  localities  farther 
north,  cattle  that  run  at  large  get  the  ticks  from  the 
litter  cleaned  from  cars  in  which  southern  cattle  have 
been  shipped;  the  disease  is  then  commonly  known  as 
the  "town -cow  disease,"  but  it  is  Texas  fever. 

There  is  loss  of  appetite  and  suspended  rumination, 
although  these  sj'mptoms  are  preceded  \>j  a  high  fever, 
the  temperature  going  as  high  as  105°  to  108°  F. 
There  is  great  weakness  and  prostration  as  the  disease 
progresses,  with  trembling  of  the  voluntary  muscles 
and  difficulty  in  getting  up.  The  head  droops,  the 
ears  lop,  the  flanks  are  "tucked  up."  There  is  usually 
constipation,  though  in  some  cases  there  is  diarrhea  in- 
stead. Diarrhea  is  considered  a  good  symptom,  as  more 
of  such  cases  recover.  In  milch  cows,  the  secretion  of 
milk  is  stopped.     The  urine  is  a  dark  cherry -red   in 


372  The    Care    of  Animals 

almost  all  cases  ;  this  may  be  considered  as  a  marked 
symptom  of  this  disease.  Young  cattle -ticks  will  be 
found  on  the  belly,  inside  of  the  thighs,  on  the  fore- 
legs or  brisket.  They  are  very  small,  and  a  close 
examination  is  often  necessary  to  reveal  them. 

Post  -  mortem  examination  reveals  the  following 
changes  :  The  gall-bladder  is  distended  with  a  dark 
tarry,  or  thick  granular  bile.  The  spleen  is  greatly 
enlarged  and  of  a  tarry  consistency,  hence  the  name, 
"splenic  fever."  The  bladder  contains  a  quantity  of 
dark  red  urine. 

There  is  no  known  satisfactory  medicinal  treatment. 
As  soon  as  the  disease  occurs,  all  well  cattle  should  be 
removed  from  tick -infested  ground  and  away  from 
tick -infested  cattle.  The  ticks  can  be  scraped  off  by 
using  a  dull  knife,  provided  there  are  but  a  few  cattle 
and  they  can  be  handled.  The  ticks  so  removed  should 
be  destroyed.  Sick  cattle  should  be  made  as  comforta- 
ble as  possible,  watered  frequently,  and  kept  out  of  the 
hot  sun.  If  they  will  eat,  laxative  green  food  may  be 
given,  such  as  green  corn -fodder.  Drenching  sick 
cattle  with  sweet  milk  is  also  to  be  recommended. 

Texas  fever  can  be  prevented  by  a  strict  quarantine 
against  tick -infested  cattle,  as  the  cattle -tick  is  the 
only  way,  so  far  as  known,  by  which  the  disease  is 
transmitted.  Southern  cattle  do  not  spread  the  disease 
during  cold  weather.  The  ticks  are  destroyed  by  the 
cold  as  soon  as  they  drop  from  the  bodies  of  cattle, 
or  the  eggs  are  destroyed,  so  that  no  young  ticks  hatch. 
If  the  ticks  are  all  removed  from  southern  cattle,  the 
latter  do  not  communicate  the  disease.     Dipping  south- 


Texas    Fever  373 

ern  cattle  in  solutions,  and  various  other  means,  have 
been  tried  for  destroying  the  cattle -ticks,  without  suc- 
cess. Recent  experiments,  however,  give  promise  that 
a  dip  will  soon  be  perfected  that  will  destroy  the  ticks. 
One  attack  of  Texas  fever  gives  immunity,  and  young 
calves  are  not  so  susceptible  to  the  disease  as  are  older 
animals.  It  is  probable  that  the  reason  that  southern 
cattle  do  not  have  Texas  fever  is  because  their  im- 
munity was  acquired  as  very  5'oung  calves  at  an  age 
when  they  do  not  seem  to  be  seriously  affected  by  the 
disease. 

The  Missouri  and  Texas  Experiment  Stations  have 
devised  a  method  of  conferring  immunitj^  on  susceptible 
cattle  intended  for  shipment  into  permanently  infected 
territory.  It  is  by  injecting  serum  obtained  from  the 
blood  of  immune  cattle,  and  is  very  successful.  Cattle 
intended  for  such  shipments  should  be  young,  and 
should  be  taken  in  the  fall,  when  the  ticks  are  not  so 
numerous  and  the  weather  is  cool. 

When  an  outbreak  of  Texas  fever  occurs,  there  is 
no  danger  to  cattle  in  the  surrounding  territory,  pro- 
vided they  are  kept  off  infested  ground.  It  is  com- 
monly said  by  stockmen  that  "a  wire  fence  will  stop 
the  spread  of  Texas  fever,"  but  it  is  safer  to  put  a 
greater  barrier,  in  the  way  of  distance,  as  the  young 
ticks  may  be  washed  short  distances,  or  cattle  may 
break  through  a  fence  and  carry  the  ticks.  After 
an  outbreak  of  Texas  fever,  no  susceptible  cattle 
should  be  allowed  on  the  infested  pasture  or  quar- 
ters until  the  ticks  have  been  destroyed  by  the  cold  of 
winter. 


374  The    Care    of  Animals 


CONTAGIOUS   ABORTION 


Contagious  abortion  is  most  common  in  cows, 
although  it  sometimes  occurs  among  mares,  when  large 
numbers  are  kept  together,  as  on  some  of  the  ranges 
of  the  West.  In  some  dairy  regions,  contagious  abor- 
tion is  one  of  the  most  serious  diseases  that  dairymen 
have  to  contend  with.  After  the  disease  is  once  estab- 
lished in  a  locality,  it  is  difficult  to  eradicate  it  entirely. 

The  cause  of  contagious  abortion  is  believed  to  be 
a  germ,  or  perhaps  several  kinds  of  germs.  The  dis- 
ease is  transmitted  from  an  animal  that  has  aborted 
to  a  pregnant  animal,  by  means  of  discharges  from  the 
vagina  or  by  the  foetal  calf  or  the  membranes.  It 
seems  probable  that  the  disease  can  be  communicated 
by  a  bull  that  has  served  a  cow  that  has  aborted. 

Cows  may  abort  at  any  stage  of  pregnancy,  but  the 
disease  occurs  most  frequently  after  the  fourth  month  ; 
earlier  than  this  there  are  few  symptoms.  Sometimes 
there  is  discharge  of  mucus  from  the  vagina,  and  the 
vulva  may  be  slightly  swollen.  There  may  be  small 
yellow  ulcers  on  the  mucous  membrane  lining  the  vagina, 
which  can  be  seen  by  opening  the  vulva.  As  the  cow 
is  farther  along  in  pregnancy,  the  signs  of  abortion 
are  those  of  approaching  parturition;  there  may  be  a 
rope  of  mucus  hanging  from  the  vulva,  the  milk 
secretion  may  start,  and  the  cow  be  "down  in  her 
hips." 

When  a  cow  shows  signs  of  aborting,  or  has  aborted, 
she  should  be  isolated  from  other  cows,  and  the  place 
where  she  has  stood  should  be  thoroughly  disinfected 


Contagious    Abortion  375 

by  using  a  5  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid  or  a 
1  to  1,000  solution  of  corrosive  sublimate,  after  the 
stall  has  been  scraped  and  all  loose  litter  burned. 
After  using  the  antiseptic,  the  stall  should  be  treated 
to  a  good  coat  of  whitewash.  The  aborted  calf  and 
the  membranes  are  to  be  destroyed  by  burying  deeply 
or  burning,  and  the  vagina  and  uterus  washed  out  every 
day  with  a  solution  of  corrosive  sublimate  (1  part  to 
1,000  parts  of  water).  The  tail  and  adjacent  parts  are 
also  to  be  washed  with  this  solution.  Tablets  of 
corrosive  sublimate  can  be  procured  from  druggists, 
with  directions  for  use.  This  treatment  of  the  vagina 
should  be  continued  as  long  as  the  discharge  is  ob- 
served, and  the  adjoining  parts  should  be  washed  daily 
for  ten  days  afterward. 

No  cow  that  has  aborted  should  be  bred  until  some 
time  after  all  discharge  has  ceased.  For  two  days 
before  breeding,  the  vagina  should  be  washed  out  with 
the  1  to  1,000  solution  of  corrosive  sublimate;  the  day 
she  is  bred,  warm  water  should  be  used  in  its  place,  as 
the  corrosive  sublimate  will  destroy  the  semen.  In 
some  cases,  cows  become  barren  after  abortion.  Clean- 
liness, the  free  use  of  antiseptics,  isolation  of  infected 
cows,  and  precautions  against  breeding  to  infected  bulls 
are  the  best  methods  of  combating  this  disease.  The 
disease  seems  to  "wear  itself  out"  and  disappear  from 
a  herd  after  a  time. 

As  preventive  remedies,  sulfite  or  hyposulfite  of  soda, 
in  ounce  doses  two  to  three  times  a  week,  may  be 
of  value.  A  mixture  of  one  pound  of  pulverized  hypo- 
sulfite of  soda,  one  pound  of  sulfur  and  ten  pounds  of 


376  The    Care    of  Animals 

common  salt,  seems  to  give  good  results.  A  small 
handful  is  given  to  each  pregnant  cow  two  or  three  times 
a  week.  Cows  should  be  kept  in  fair  flesh  and  in  a 
good,  vigorous  condition. 

FOOT-AND-MOUTH     DISEASE 

Foot-and-mouth  disease  is  a  highly  infectious  dis- 
order, attacking  cattle  principall}-,  but  easilj^  trans- 
mitted to  sheep,  goats,  pigs,  and  other  domestic  animals. 
Man  frequently  contracts  the  disease  from  infected 
animals.  It  is  generally  considered  to  be  a  germ  dis- 
disease,  although  the  specific  organism  has  not  been 
discovered.  This  disease  has  been  known  for  many 
years  in  Europe,  and  immense  losses  have  followed  its 
ravages,  some  parts  of  Europe  rarely  being  free  from 
it,  and  in  other  parts  outbreaks  occurring  at  irregular 
intervals.  One  attack  of  the  disease  does  not  confer 
immunity,  as   an   animal  may  have  it  several  times. 

Foot-and-mouth  disease  varies  in  virulence.  In 
some  outbreaks  many  animals  die,  but  in  most  cases  the 
mortality  is  not  high,  the  greatest  loss  resulting  from  a 
falling  off  in  flesh  and  general  deterioration  resulting 
from  the  disease,  and  the  necessarj^  restriction  of  the 
live-stock  trade  which  follows.  The  disease  is  trans- 
mitted by  direct  contact,  and  through  the  medium  of 
infected  food,  litter,  watering  places,  stables,  cars  and 
attendants.  It  is  possible  that  the  contagion  may  be 
carried  short  distances  in  the  air.  The  milk  of  an 
affected  animal  is  highly  dangerous.  The  period  of 
incubation,  or  the  time  that  elapses  between  exposure 


Foot -and -Mouth    Disease  377 

and  signs  of  the  development  of  the  disease,  usually 
is  short,  but  may  vary  from  twenty -four  hours  to  twenty 
days.  Most  cases  develop  within  two  or  three  days 
after  exposure. 

Foot-and-mouth  disease  usually  starts  with  a  chill. 
The  animal  remains  by  itself,  the  back  is  arched,  hair 
erect,  flanks  tucked  up,  and  there  is  shivering  or  twitch- 
ing of  the  muscles.  A  sick  auinial  moves  with  re- 
luctance, and  there  is  stiffness  or  marked  lameness  in 
the  gait.  A  thick,  yellowish  secretion  collects  at  the 
inner  corners  of  the  eyes  and  about  the  edges  of  the 
nostril.  The  temperature  of  the  animal  rises  from  two 
to  five  degrees  Pahr.  Blisters  form  in  the  mouth,  about 
the  feet  and  on  the  udder.  The  blisters  vary  in  size 
from  that  of  a  pea  to  a  quarter  of  a  dollar,  and  are  filled 
with  a  watery  fluid.  They  soon  burst,  leaving  raw 
sores  with  shreds  of  tissue  hanging  about  the  edges.  In 
the  mouth  the  blisters  usually  form  on  the  lips,  tongue, 
cheeks  and  pad  of  upper  jaw.  The  animal  champs  the 
jaws  with  a  smacking  noise.  There  is  profuse  slavering 
from  the  mouth.  The  saliva  at  first  is  normal,  but  later 
becomes  thick  and  ropy.  The  mouth  is  often  so  sore 
that  the  animal  is  unable  to  partake  of  solid  food.  The 
blisters  about  the  feet  usually  occur  between  the  toes  of 
cattle,  or  about  the  coronet,  and  often  cause  severe  lame- 
ness. One  or  all  of  the  feet  may  be  affected.  After 
the  blisters  burst,  raw,  angry  sores  result.  In  some 
cases,  the  hoof  may  be  shed,  or  the  ulceration  may  in- 
volve the  greater  part  of  the  soft  structures  of  the  foot. 

So  far  as  known,  foot-and-mouth  disease  w-as  first 
introduced  into  America  in  the  summer,  or  early  fall,  of 


878  The    Care    of  Animals 

1902,  being  first  discovered  in  the  New  England  states, 
where  it  has  been  confined  by  rigid  quarantine  restric- 
tions, prescribed  by  the  general  government  and  the 
various  states.  A  vigorous  and  apparently  successful 
effort  is  being  made  to  stamp  out  the  disease  by 
quarantine.  Destruction  of  affected  animals  and  thor- 
ough disinfection, —  these  are  the  only  methods  that 
have  ever  been  effective  in  dealing  with  this  disease. 
Diseased  carcasses  should  be  buried  deep  or  burned. 
Hides  or  wool  should  not  be  saved,  nor  should  diseased 
carcasses  or  milk  from  a  diseased  animal  be  fed  to  other 
animals.     Suspected  cases  should  be  at  once  reported. 

TUBERCULOSIS 

Tuberculosis  is  a  communicable  disease  that  may 
attack  any  of  the  domestic  animals,  though  it  is  found 
mostly  among  cattle.  In  man,  tuberculosis  is  commonly 
known  as  consumption,  and  is  one  of  the  most  serious 
diseases  that  threaten  the  human  race. 

The  cause  of  tuberculosis  is  a  germ  or  bacterium 
known  as  Bacillus  tuberculosis.  The  germs  are  always 
present  in  the  system  of  the  animal  having  the  disease. 
Any  condition  which  weakens  the  animal's  system 
lessens  its  power  of  resistance  to  this  disease.  As  a 
result  of  the  drain  upon  the  system  due  to  the  produc- 
tion of  large  quantities  of  milk,  tuberculosis  is  espe- 
cially prevalent  among  dairy  cows,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  serious  diseases  that  dairymen  have  to  contend 
with.  It  is  rare  among  cattle  native  to  the  ranges  of 
the  West. 


Ttiberctdosis  379 

Tuberculosis  is  important  not  only  on  account  of  the 
losses  among  cattle,  but  because  of  its  relation  to  the 
public  health.  Milk  from  cows  that  are  badly  affected 
with  tuberculosis,  and  especially  when  the  udder  is 
affected,  is  considered  to  be  dangerous  as  food  for  man, 
unless  it  is  pasteurized  by  heating  it  to  a  temperature 
of  185°  Fahr. 

Tuberculosis  is  one  of  the  most  insidious  diseases  of 
animals,  as  it  attacks  almost  any  part  of  the  body,  and 
a  great  variety  of  symptoms  follow  as  soon  as  it  is  well 
established.  Symptoms  vary  according  to  the  severity 
of  the  disease  and  the  part  or  organ  of  the  body  affected. 
Tuberculosis  attacks  the  lungs  most  frequently;  the 
liver,  diaphragm,  or  "midriff,"  lymphatic  glands,  bones 
or  joints  may  also  be  the  seat  of  the  disease.  When  the 
lungs  are  attacked  and  become  badly  diseased,  the 
animal  is  out  of  condition  and  falls  away  in  flesh;  the 
appetite  is  capricious;  the  coat  is  rough  and  staring; 
the  eyes  are  sunken  and  dull.  There  is  usually  a  cough, 
that  is  especially  noticeable  when  the  animal  is  first 
disturbed  in  the  morning,  or  when  it  is  turned  out  to 
exercise  in  cold  air.  There  is  often  a  discharge  from 
the  nose  and  eyes,  this  drying  at  the  inner  corner 
of  the  eye.  When  the  udder  is  affected,  there  is  slight 
inflammation  of  that  part  of  the  gland,  followed  by 
the  formation  of  hard  lumps  within  the  gland;  in  some 
cases,  these  lumps  gather  and  break,  discharging  a 
yellowish  pus. 

The  germs  of  the  disease,  when  scattered  about 
stables  or  yards,  may  enter  the  system  of  a  healthy 
animal    through    w^ounds    ( which   is    probably   a   rare 


380 


The    Care    of  Animals 


method  of  infection),  or  by  being  taken  in  with  the 
food  or  by  being  inhaled  and  taken  into  the  lungs.  In 
the  transmission  of  the  disease  from  one  animal  to 
another,  the  germs  are  probably  conveyed  by  one  of  the 
last  two  methods.  Suckling  calves  may  get  the  germs 
in  the  milk  from  a  tuberculous  cow,  or  they  may  take 
them  upon  dry  food  or  in  drinking  water,  where  they 


Fig.  56.     Section  of  tuberculous  lung. 


were  scattered  by  diseased  animals.  It  is  probable  that 
the  discharge  from  the  nose,  which  contains  the  germs, 
being  dried,  is  stirred  up  in  the  form  of  dust,  and 
when  inhaled  by  healthy  animals  produces  the  disease. 
In  a  few  cases  it  is  possible  that  the  disease  may  be  con- 
genital. Such  cases  are  rare,  and  occur  only  when  the 
cow's  generative  organs  or  her  whole  sj^stem  are 
diseased. 


Tuberculosis  381 

When  an  animal  that  has  had  tuberculosis  is  ex- 
amined after  death,  the  diseased  tissue  appears  as  lumps 
or  nodules  either  in  or  on  the  organ  attacked.  If  these 
rather  hard  lumps  are  cut  open  they  will  be  found  to 
contain  a  yellow,  cheesy  substance,  which  in  many  cases 
has  turned  to  pus  or  matter,  usually  thick  and  yellow, 
with  lumps  of  cheesy  material  in  it.  Sometimes  the 
disease  appears  as  a  fibrous  growth  in  reddish  bunches 
on  the  outside  of  the  organ,  or  part,  such  as  the  lungs, 
heart,  liver,  diaphragm,  or  "midriff,"  or  on  the  lining 
membrane  of  the  chest  or  abdominal  cavities.  These 
lumps  or  tubercules  vary  in  size  from  that  of  a  pin- 
head  to  that  of  a  marble,  and  may  be  so  thick  as  com- 
pletely to  cover  the  surface.     Fig.  56. 

There  is  no  treatment  known  that  cures  tuberculosis 
in  cattle.  However,  there  are  preventive  precautions. 
The  best  method  of  preventing  the  disease  is  to  pre- 
vent healthy  cattle  from  coming  in  contact  with  in- 
fected ones,  or  wdth  infected  stalls,  food,  feed -boxes, 
and  drinking- places.  If  an  animal  has  the  disease,  or 
is  suspected,  it  should  be  isolated  from  others  and  the 
quarte-rs  thoroughly  cleaned  and  disinfected  by  a  5  per 
cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid  in  water.  Aside  from  pro- 
tecting cattle  from  the  germs  of  the  disease,  the  best 
method  of  preventing  it  is  to  keep  the  animals  healthy 
and  vigorous.  Dark,  damp,  filthy  and  badly  ventilated 
stables  are  hotbeds  for  the  propagation  of  the  dis- 
ease, once  it  is  introduced.  Sunlight  is  a  great  disinfec- 
tant. In  fact,  the  germs  are  killed  when  exposed  to 
direct  sunlight  for  a  few  hours.  Plenty  of  fresh  air  is 
also  very  important,  preserving  the  animals'  health  by 


382  The    Care    of  Animals 

bringing  oxygen,  carrying  away  the  waste,  and  keeping 
the  quarters  dry.  Sunlight,  fresh  air,  dryness  and 
cleanliness,  with  good  food,  are  essentials  in  preserving 
a  healthy  herd. 

,T/ie    Tuberculin    Test 

The  most  accurate  means  of  detecting  tuberculosis 
in  cattle  is  by  injecting  a  small  amount  of  "tuberculin" 
beneath  the  skin.  If  the  animal  has  the  disease,  there 
follows,  in  about  twelve  hours,  a  rise  of  temperature 
or  fever,  which  lasts  for  a  few  hours  and  then  sub- 
sides. Tuberculin  is  a  toxin  excreted  by  the  tubercle 
bacillus  during  the  process  of  its  growth.  When 
prepared  for  use,  tuberculin  contains  no  germs  of  tuber- 
culosis, and  is  incapable  of  producing  the  disease. 

In  testing  animals  with  tuberculin  the  temperature 
of  the  tested  subject  is  taken  with  a  clinical  (fever) 
thermometer  every  two  hours,  beginning  at  6  A.  M. 
and  continuing  until  12  P.  M.,  when  a  small  quantity  of 
tuberculin  is  injected  under  the  skin  and  the  tempera- 
ture again  taken  as  on  the  preceding  day.  If  the 
animal  has  tuberculosis  there  is  a  rise  of  tempera- 
ture of  two  to  six  degrees  Fahr.  If  the  animal  is  free 
from  the  disease  the  temperature  does  not  rise  or  vary 
more  than  the  normal  daily  variation.  Careful  attention 
should  be  given  to  the  manner  in  Avhich  the  temperature 
rises.  A  sudden  and  rapid  rise  of  temperature  is  to 
be  regarded  with  suspicion.  In  a  typical  reaction  to 
the  tuberculin  test,  the  temperature  rises  gradually  for 
two  hours  or  more  until  it  attains  its  maximum;   then 


Tuherculosis  383 

it  gradually  subsides.  While  the  testing  by  tuber- 
culin is  not  a  difficult  task,  it  is  usually  economy  to 
employ  some  one  who  has  had  some  experience,  and 
who  can  give  due  consideration  to  the  various  in- 
fluences that  modify  the  reaction.  Cattle  should  not 
be  tested  too  frequently  with  tuberculin,  as  the  sj'stem 
acquires  a  tolerance  and  does  not  respond  accurately. 
One  test  yearly,  or  not  oftener  than  once  in  six  months, 
is  usually  efficient. 

In  testing  cattle,  the  animals  should  be  disturbed  as 
little  as  possible.  They  should  be  given  small  quanti- 
ties of  water  frequently,  but  not  turned  out  and  allowed 
to  drink  large  quantities,  as  this  is  liable  to  cause  a 
sudden  fall  of  temperature. 

Tuberculin  is  not  infallible.  In  some  cases,  espe- 
cially when  the  animal  is  badly  diseased,  it  fails  to  cause 
a  rise  of  temperature,  and  in  a  few  cases  it  causes  a 
rise  of  temperature  in  healthy  animals;  but  the  per- 
centage of  the  errors  is  but  a  fraction  of  one  per 
cent;  and  at  the  present  time  tuberculin  is  the  most 
effective  means  known  for  detecting  tuberculosis  in 
animals. 

After  a  herd  has  been  tested  and  all  tuberculous 
animals  have  been  removed,  the  barns  and  stables 
should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  disinfected  before 
other  cattle  are  put  in.  No  animals  should  be  ad- 
mitted to  a  healthy  herd  until  they  have  been  tested 
and  found  to  be  free  from  this  disease. 

In  Denmark,  the  following  plan  for  eradication  of 
tuberculosis,  called  the  Bang  method,  has  been  tried  with 
success.    All  cattle  are  tested  with  tuberculin,  and  tliose 


384  Tlie    Care    of  Animals 

that  are  free  from  the  disease  are  placed  in  uninfected 
quarters,  where  thej^  cannot  contract  the  disorder.  It 
has  been  demonstrated  that  nearly  all  calves  born  of 
tuberculous  mothers  are  free  from  the  disease  at  birth. 
As  soon  as  the  calves  are  dropped,  they  are  taken  from 
the  cows  and  placed  in  uninfected  quarters,  w^here  they 
are  fed  on  sterilized  milk.  The  calves  are  tested  in 
a  short  time,  and  should  anj-  respond  they  are  removed. 
In  most  cases  the  calves  are  tested  several  times  before 
reaching  maturity.  In  this  manner  only  healthy  ani- 
mals are  raised  for  breeding  and  dairy  purposes,  and 
tuberculosis  is  being  eradicated  from  the  Danish  dairies 
without  the  serious  loss  that  would  result  from  the 
immediate  destruction  of  all  tuberculous  animals. 

Professor  Koch,  the  eminent  German  scientist  who 
discovered  the  germ  of  tuberculosis,  thinks  that  tuber- 
culosis of  cattle  is  not  communicated  to  man  by  any 
ordinary  methods,  and  that  there  is  no  danger  of  per- 
sons contractmg  the  disease  from  using  the  milk  of 
tuberculous  cows.  Nor  does  he  think  that  tuberculosis 
or  consumption  of  man  can  be  transmitted  to  cattle 
by  ordinary  methods.  If  this  view  is  correct,  the  im- 
portance of  tuberculosis  resolves  itself  into  the  financial 
question  of  preventing  the  losses  among  cattle  that 
result  from  this  disease,  which  in  itself  is  an  impor- 
tant one.  Whether  there  is  danger  to  man  or  not,  there 
is  a  strong  prejudice  against  using  the  milk  from  cows 
that  are  known  to  be  tuberculous,  especially  for  child- 
ren and  invalids;  and  it  is  unwise  to  run  any  risks 
with  this  serious  disease,  considering  the  incompleteness 
of  our  present  knowledge  of  it. 


Cowpox   in    Cattle  385 


COWPOX 


The  horse,  sheep  and  cow  each  has  a  variety  of  pox, 
but  cowpox  is  the  form  that  is  commonly  seen  in  this 
country.  Cowpox  is  a  germ  disease  that  attacks  cows 
particular!}',  in  the  skin  in  the  region  of  the  udder  or 
teats,  and  is  characterized  by  sores  in  this  region.  The 
disease  is  usually  transmitted  from  one  animal  to 
another  by  the  hands  of  the  milker,  by  calves,  or  by 
direct  contact. 

About  a  week  after  the  infection  is  transferred,  small 
pimples  appear  on  the  skin.  At  first  these  contain  a 
watery  fluid,  which  later  turns  to  pus.  The  base  of  the 
sore  is  hard  and  red.  After  the  pustule  is  broken,  a 
thick,  dark  scab  forms  that  has  a  depressed  center. 
Later,  this  comes  off,  leaving  a  small  pit  or  pock  mark. 
Cowpox  can  be  transmitted  to  man  by  direct  inocula- 
tion, as  by  sores  on  the  hands.  The  fluid  from  the 
pimples  or  pustules  of  cowpox  is  the  material  used  to 
vaccinate  persons  against  smallpox. 

Little  can  be  done  after  an  animal  has  contracted  the 
disease,  except  to  keep  the  parts  soft  by  applying  some 
healing  ointment.  Oxide  of  zinc  ointment  is  excellent. 
After  milking,  a  little  white  lotion  may  be  applied,  fol- 
lowed by  the  zinc  ointment.  When  the  udder  is  greatly 
inflamed,  bathing  with  hot  water  twice  daily  is  excel- 
lent. In  milking,  animals  affected  with  cowpox  should 
always  be  milked  last,  so  that  the  milker  will  not  carry 
the  disease  to  healthy  cattle.  After  milking,  the  hands 
should  be  carefully  washed  and  disinfected.  The  milk 
should  not  be  used  for  food. 


386  The    Care    of  Animals 

DOG   DISTEMPER 

Distemper  is  a  contagious  catarrhal  fever  that  is  a 
common  and  serious  disease  among  dogs. 

The  disease  is  caused  by  a  germ,  and  animals  contract 
it  from  coming  in  contact  with  or  proximity  to  another 
animal  suffering  from  the  disorder.  It  is  thought  that 
the  germs  float  through  the  air  and  are  inhaled  by  the 
dog.  Among  the  conditions  that  favor  the  disease  are 
those  that  tend  to  weaken  the  system.  Pure  -  bred 
puppies  appear  to  suffer  greatly  from  it.  The  time  that 
elapses  between  exposure  and  the  first  symptoms  is 
seldom  more  than  three  days.  When  dogs  are  gathered 
at  shows  the  disease  is  likely  to  occur,  owing  to  ex- 
posure to  infection  and  the  unusual  nervous  strain. 
One  attack  of  the  disease  usually  gives  immunity  to 
future  attacks. 

The  disease  is  brought  in  with  a  chill,  that  may  last 
an  hour  or  more.  It  is  followed  by  a  high  fever,  the 
dog's  temperature  going  to  107°  Fahr.  There  is  a  slight 
discharge  of  watery  mucus  from  the  nose  and  eyes, 
that  soon  becomes  profuse  and  purulent,  sticking  the 
lids  together.  Usually  a  rash  breaks  put  on  the  inside 
of  the  thighs.  In  some  cases  there  are  nervous  symp- 
toms, shown  by  the  jerking  of  the  head  and  twitching 
of  the  muscles;  or  the  dog  may  become  delirious. 
Often  there  is  difficult  breathing,  with  a  painful  cough 
or  moan.  The  bowels  may  be  constipated,  or  there 
may  be  a  severe  diarrhea,  with  a  fetid  odor.  The  dog 
suffers  greatly  from  prostration,  and  dislikes  to  be  dis- 
turbed.    The  disease  runs  its  course  in  ten  to  thirty 


Distemper   of  Dogs  387 

days.  Distemper  in  dogs  in  some  respects  resembles 
scarlet  fever  in  the  human  family. 

There  is  no  medicine  that  will  interfere  with  its 
course.  All  the  treatment  should  be  directed  toward 
making  the  animal  comfortable  and  keeping  up  its 
strength  so  that  it  may  resist  the  disease.  Vigorous 
dogs  of  good  constitution  will  usually  recover;  weak, 
debilitated  animals  are  likely  to  be  overcome  by  the 
disease  or  by  various  complications. 

In  the  early  stages,  castor  oil  in  doses  of  half  an 
ounce,  with  two  or  three  grains  of  boric  acid  added, 
should  be  given  every  six  hours  until  the  bowels  move 
thoroughly.  This  may  be  followed  by  two -grain  doses 
of  quinine,  twice  daily.  The  nose,  mouth  and  eyes  are 
to  be  well  washed  out  with  warm  water  three  times 
daily,  and  the  nose  and  eyes  greased  with  vaseline.  The 
animal  is  to  be  given  minced  fresh  beef,  beef  tea,  sweet 
milk,  raw  eggs  and  gruels,  and  allowed  what  cold 
water  he  wants  to  drink.  Dried  blood  in  doses  of  one- 
half  to  one  teaspoonful  three  times  daily  is  excellent 
all  through  the  disease. 

There  are  many  complications  that  occur  with  this 
disease:  pneumonia,  bronchitis,  inflammation  of  the 
brain  or  spinal  cord,  and  paralysis,  usually  of  the  hind 
quarters.  When  the  dog  recovers,  abscesses  are  likely  to 
form  in  some  part  of  the  body.  If  these  occur  in  the 
internal  organs  they  are  often  fatal.  Another  common 
sequel  is  chorea,  or  St.  Vitus'  dance,  as  shown  by  a 
jerking  of  some  parts  of  the  body. 

All  infected  quarters  should  be  thoroughly  disin- 
fected   and    exposed   to   the    sun    and    air   for  several 


388  The    Care    of  Animals 

weeks   before  allowing   other   susceptible    dogs   to   oc- 
cupy them. 

HOG  CHOLERA  AND  SWINE  PLAGUE 

Hog  cholera  and  swine  plague  are  different  dis- 
eases, and  yet  they  are  so  closely  associated  that 
one  disease  rarely  appears  without  the  other.  Swine 
plague  is  an  infectious  pneumonia,  that  attacks  swine 
when  in  poor,  unthrifty  condition,  or  when  run  down 
from  an  attack  of  hog  cholera.  It  is  probable  that 
germs  of  swine  plague  are  widely  distributed  wherever 
hogs  are  kept  in  large  numbers,  but  the  natural  power 
of  resistance  of  the  animal's  system  is  sufficient  to 
prevent  them  from  developing  after  entering  the  sys- 
tem. When,  however,  the  system  becomes  weakened 
from  disease  or  other  injurious  influences,  the  germs 
obtain  a  foothold  and  often  cause  serious  damage,  not 
only  from  the  deaths  that  directly  result  from  the 
pneumonia  but  from  the  hog  cholera,  with  which  the 
swine  plague  is  usually  associated. 

Hog  cholera  is  an  infectious  disease  of  the  intestinal 
tract,  closely  allied  to  typhoid  fever  in  man.  The  hog 
cholera  is  aggravated  by  the  pneumonia,  and  between  the 
two  diseases  the  vital  powers  of  the  animal  are  greatly 
lessened.  In  man,  typhoid  fever  and  pneumonia  are 
often  associated.  The  losses  from  hog  cholera  and  swine 
plague  are  difficult  to  estimate  accurately.  Persons  famil- 
iar with  the  subject  estimate  that  the  losses  caused  by 
these  diseases  are  greater  than  those  caused  by  any  other 
disease  of  domestic  animals.     Others  go   further,  and 


Hog    Cholera  389 

estimate  the  loss  to  be  greater  than  that  resulting  from 
all  other  diseases  of  animals  combined.  Hog  cholera 
and  swine  plague  are  the  greatest  drawbacks  to  the 
swine -raising  industry  in  the  central  and  western  states. 
These  diseases  are  usually  found  in  regions  where  hogs 
are  raised  in  large  numbers,  where  there  is  a  large 
amount  of  traffic  in  swine,  where  they  are  fed  largely 
on  one  kind  of  food,  and  where  the  sanitary  and  hy- 
gienic conditions  are  bad.  It  must  not  be  inferred 
that  hygiene  and  sanitation  will  prevent  these  diseases 
entirely.  When  the  germs  of  hog  cholera  are  intro- 
duced among  healthy  swine  with  the  most  hygienic 
surroundings,  heavy  losses  are  very  likely  to  follow. 
And  yet  it  is  probable  that  if  careful  attention  w^ere 
paid  to  feeding,  care  and  sanitation,  together  with 
reasonable  precautions  to  prevent  the  introduction  of 
the  germs  of  hog  cholera,  the  losses  could  be  reduced 
one -half. 

In  the  care  of  hogs,  the  essentials  are  clean  quarters 
and  pure  water.  When  hog  cholera  is  in  the  vicinity, 
care  must  be  exercised  not  to  allow  swine  access  to 
streams  wiiere  disease  prevails  above  them,  as  cholera 
frequently  follows  brooks  and  rivers.  A  variety  of  food  is 
also  essential  to  the  maintenance  of  good  health.  Swine 
are  omnivorous  animals,  living  upon  both  animal  and 
vegetable  materials.  When  fed  largely  on  one  kind  of 
food,  such  as  corn,  they  get  fat  and  appear  healthy, 
but  such  animals  are  susceptible  to  hog  cholera,  and 
among  such  the  disease  is  likely  to  assume  a  virulent 
type. 

In  addition  to  variety   in   food,   swine   should  have 


390  The    Care    of  Animals 

access  to  mineral  substances,  such  as  wood  ashes,  slack 
coal,  salt  and  sulfur.  These  ingredients  can  be  mixed 
and  placed  where  the  hogs  can  get  at  them.  Stock 
hogs  need  exercise  and  a  run  on  pasture,  where  they 
can  get  green  food  and  come  in  contact  with  fresh 
earth.  Dish-water  and  swill  from  the  farmhouse  are 
excellent,  but  garbage  and  city  slops  should  be  used 
with  caution,  as  they  often  contain  large  quantities  of 
soap  powders  and  other  materials  that  are  injurious 
when  fed  freely. 

Hog  cholera  occurs  sometimes  in  a  mild  form,  but 
often  in  a  virulent  and  fatal  type.  In  the  latter  type, 
the  first  indication  of  the  disease  is  finding  a  dead 
animal  ;  or  an  animal  noticed  to  be  ailing  in  the 
evening  will  be  found  dead  the  next  morning.  If  the 
disease  is  of  a  milder  type,  or  if  the  conditions  are 
favorable  to  watching  its  progress,  the  following  symp- 
toms will  be  noticed  :  The  animal  first  appears  dull 
and  quivering,  showing  a  tendency  to  hide  away  in  the 
bed,  and  to  shiver  as  it  lies  there.  It  evinces  a  dislike 
to  be  disturbed,  and  when  driven  from  its  bed  moves 
stiffly,  and  is  likely  to  cough  and  sneeze.  Sick  pigs 
show  a  tendency  to  wander  away,  often  long  distances. 
There  is  a  rise  of  temperature  in  the  early  stages  of 
the  disease,  before  the  phj^sical  symptoms  appear,  the 
temperature  rising  from  103°  F.,  or  thereabouts,  to  107°. 
There  seems,  to  the  writer,  to  be  a  characteristic  odor 
to  the  disease  that  is  quite  pronounced,  but  diflicult  to 
describe. 

The  following  description  of  the  symptoms,  by  the 
Iowa  State  Board  of  Health,  is  excellent;    "The  pres- 


Hog    Cholera  391 

ence  of  the  disease  is  indicated  by  cold  shivering,  last- 
ing several  hours  ;  frequent  sneezing,  followed  by  loss 
of  appetite  ;  rough  appearance  of  the  hair  ;  drooping 
of  the  ears  ;  stupidness  ;  attempts  to  vomit  ;  tendency 
to  root  the  bedding  and  to  lie  down  in  dark  and  quiet 
places  ;  dullness  of  the  eyes,  often  dim  ;  sometimes 
swelling  of  the  head  ;  eruptions  on  the  ears  and  other 
parts  of  the  body  ;  dizziness  ;  laborious  breathing  ; 
vitiated  appetite  for  dung  and  for  dirty  and  salty  sub- 
stances ;  accumulation  of  mucus  in  the  inner  corner 
of  the  eye  and  a  discharge  from  the  nose  ;  fetid,  offen- 
sive discharge  from  the  bowels,  offensive  exhalations  ; 
semi-fluid  diarrheal  discharges  of  grayish  green  color, 
often  mixed  with  blood.  In  many  cases,  the  skin  on 
the  belly  between  the  hind  legs,  behind  the  ears,  and 
even  on  the  nose,  has  numerous  red  spots,  which  to- 
ward the  fatal  termination  of  the  disease  turn  purple. 
As  the  disease  progresses,  the  animal  becomes  sluggish, 
the  head  droops,  with  the  nose  hidden  in  the  bedding. 
If  there  has  been  costiveness,  about  two  days  before 
death  there  will  be  offensive,  fetid  discharges  from  the 
bowels;  the  voice  becomes  hoarse;  the  animal  is  stupid; 
emaciation  increases  rapidly  ;  the  skin  becomes  hard, 
dry  and  unclean  ;  there  is  a  cold,  clammy  sweat,  and 
death  soon  follows,  attended  by  convulsions,  or  comes 
on  gradually  from  exhaustion  without  a  struggle.  In 
chronic  cases  or  those  of  long  duration,  the  animal 
becomes  weak,  lies  down  most  of  the  time,  eats  but 
little  and  has  diarrhea.  These  cases  may  linger  for 
weeks,  scattering  the  poison  of  the  disease  wherever 
they  go." 


392  The    Care    of  Animals 

In  addition  to  the  above  symptoms,  in  chronic  cases 
there  is  often  swelling  of  the  joints,  with  lameness. 
The  akin  also  cracks  and  large  sores  often  result.  In 
those  eases  when  there  is  diarrhea  in  the  early  stages, 
there  is  usually  a  better  chance  of  recovery.  Many 
swine -raisers  who  have  had  experience  with  cholera 
think  it  is  economy  to  kill  an  animal  as  soon  as  it  shows 
signs  of  the  disease,  as  few  ever  recover,  and  those  that 
do,  recuperate  slowly  and  require  a  long  period  of  care. 
Animals  that  recover  are  immune  to  future  attacks. 
When  swine  plague  is  prominently  associated  with 
the  cholera,  there  is  coughing,  panting  and  short, 
labored  breathing,  especially  when  the  animal  is  quickly 
exercised. 

Post-mortem  examination  reveals  inflammation  of  the 
lungs,  due  to  swine  plague,  some  inflammation  of  the 
heart  and  its  coverings,  irritation  of  the  small  intes- 
tines, with  ulcers  on  the  mucous  membrane  lining  the 
large  intestine.  Intestinal  worms  are  frequently  found 
in  considerable  numbers. 

Medicinal  treatment  of  hog  cholera  is  very  unsatis- 
factory. Scores  of  remedies,  regarding  which  wonderful 
assertions  were  made,  have  been  exploited,  with  little 
or  no  benefit,  except  to  the  person  who  sells  them  at  a 
large  profit.  Some  remedies  benefit  the  sick  animal 
by  toning  up  the  system,  or  by  supplying  needed  min- 
eral elements.  The  following  remedy  suggested  by 
the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry  of  the  Department  of 
Agriculture,  and  commonly  known  as  the  "government 
remedy,"  is  as  good  as  any,  and  much  cheaper  than 
most  of  them: 


Hog    Cholera  393 

Wood  charcoal 1  pound 

Sulfur 1  pound 

Sodium  chloride 2  pounds 

Sodium  bicarbonate 2  pounds 

Sodium  hyposulfite 2  pounds 

Sodium  sulfate 1  pound 

Antimony  sulfide 1  pound 

"These  ingredients  should  be  thoroughly  pulverized 
and  mixed.  The  dose  of  this  mixture  is  a  large  table- 
spoonful  for  each  two  hundred  pounds  weight  of  hogs 
to  be  treated.  Give  only  once  daily."  It  is  better 
to  give  this  remedy  mixed  with  sweet  milk,  or  in  gruel, 
or  mixed  with  raw  eggs  well  beaten. 

At  the  present  time,  no  satisfactory  protective  treat- 
ment in  the  way  of  vaccination  or  inoculation  has  been 
devised,  although  the  ablest  investigators  in  this  and 
other  countries  have  been  searching  for  some  method 
of  this  kind.  Some  swine -raisers  think  that  a  measure 
of  protection  is  given  by  allowing  the  well  hogs  to 
eat  the  thoroughly  cooked  flesh  of  an  animal  that 
has  died  from  the  cholera.  In  trying  this,  be  sure  that 
the  meat  is  thoroughly  cooked,  as  allowing  them  to  eat 
the  uncooked  meat  would  inoculate  them  with  the  living 
germs. 

Many  farmers  who  have  had  experience  do  not  wait 
for  the  disease  to  make  its  appearance,  but,  as  soon  as 
it  reaches  a  dangerous  proximity,  dispose  of  their  hogs, 
and  thus  avoid  infecting  their  farms  and  evade  the 
possibility  of  selling  animals  that  may  be  coming  down 
with  the  disease.     Diseased  swine  must  not  be  sold. 

In  dealing  with  hog  cholera,  it  must  be  remembered 


394  The    Care    of  Animals 

that  the  disease  is  caused  by  a  microscopic  germ,  and 
that  the  opportunities  for  its  distribution  are  many. 
The  germ  of  hog  cholera  is  active  and  free -swimming, 
and  so  small  that  hundreds  of  them  can  live  in  a 
single  drop  of  water.  The  swine  plague  germ  is  not 
free -swimming. 

The  germs  of  hog  cholera  are  scattered  about  by  the 
discharges  from  sick  animals  as  they  are  moved  over 
the  country.  When  hogs  are  shipped  in  cars,  the  latter 
become  infested;  hence,  the  necessity  of  thoroughly 
disinfecting  cars  before  shipping  healthy  hogs  in  them. 
Streams  are  frequent  sources  of  infection;  it  is  common 
to  find  the  disease  occurring  at  farm  after  farm  in 
succession  along  a  watercourse.  The  writer  has  seen 
the  bodies  of  hogs  floating  down  streams  during  out- 
breaks of  cholera.  Sick  hogs  are  likely  to  wander 
away  to  adjoining  farms,  thus  scattering  the  infection. 
Dogs,  wolves,  foxes,  crows  and  other  animals  that  feed 
upon  flesh  may  carry  the  germs,  often  long  distances. 

The  bodies  of  hogs  that  have  died  from  the  disease 
should  be  burned  or  buried  deep.  When  the  outbreak 
is  severe  and  many  animals  die,  the  carcasses  are  often 
disposed  of  in  a  careless  manner,  that  is  a  menace  to 
the  health  of  other  hogs  in  the  neighborhood.  Germs 
of  hog  cholera  may  also  be  carried  on  the  shoes  of 
persons  visiting  infected  localities.  Whenever  hog 
cholera  occurs  in  a  herd  of  swine  and  an  attempt  is 
to  be  made  to  stop  its  progress,  the  healthy  animals 
should  be  removed  from  the  sick  and  placed  upon 
uninfected  ground  some  distance  away.  When  swine 
plague    occurs    without    hog   cholera,   it   can    often    be 


Foivl    Cholera  395 

stopped  by  these  measures,  in  eoDnection  with  the 
cholera  remedy  of  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industrj^ 
(page  393). 

FOWL   CHOLERA 

The  term  fowl  cholera  is  applied  to  most  of  the  dis- 
eases of  fowls  that  are  associated  with  a  diarrhea,  espe- 
cially if  a  number  of  fowls  are  attacked,  or  if  the  dis- 
ease seems  to  be  contagious.  Some  of  these  diseases 
may  be  induced  by  improper  food  or  surroundings; 
and  whenever  an  outbreak  occurs  these  conditions  should 
be  carefully  investigated. 

True  fowl  cholera  is  a  contagious  disease,  attacking 
fowls  of  all  kinds,  though  it  is  most  common  among 
chickens.  It  is  caused  by  a  well-known  germ,  that  is 
probably  taken  into  the  system  with  the  food  or  drink, 
and  possibly  with  dust  or  dirt  that  is  inhaled  or  eaten 
accidentally. 

The  first  symptom  of  the  disease  is  a  yellow  color  of 
the  usually  white  part  of  the  droppings.  This  is 
soon  followed  by  severe  diarrhea,  the  discharges  being 
thin  and  watery,  sometimes  frothy,  and  of  a  yellowish 
green  color.  The  sick  chicken  often  craves  green  ma- 
terial, and  shows  a  depraved  appetite,  eating  various 
substances  that  are  unusual.  Later,  the  appetite  fails, 
the  chicken  becomes  dull  and  stands  with  the  head  close 
to  the  body,  the  eyes  closed,  and  exhibits  signs  of  great 
weakness  and  prostration.  In  some  cases,  fowls  die 
very  soon,  often  within  three  or  four  days  after  infec- 
tion;   in    other   cases,    they    linger   for   weeks    with    a 


396  The    Care    of  Animals 

chronic  form  of  the  disease.  Toward  the  termination 
of  the  disease,  the  diarrhea  becomes  less  severe,  and  the 
process  of  digestion  seems  to  be  stopped,  as  the  crops  of 
dead  chickens  remain  filled  with  undigested  food.  All 
dead  fowls  should  be  burned. 

All  fowls  that  do  not  show  signs  of  the  disease  are  to 
be  removed  to  uninfected  grounds,  and  given  a  variety 
of  nourishing  food,  with  pure  water,  both  of  which  should 
be  free  from  contamination  by  the  germs  of  the  disease. 
No  dishes  used  for  sick  fowls  are  to  be  used  for  the  well 
ones.  Attendants  should  not  go  from  infected  ground 
to  localities  where  healthy  fowls  are  kept. 

Medicinal  treatment  is  not  always  satisfactory.  One 
of  the  best  remedies  is  the  following: 

Sulfate  of  iron 1  dram 

Dried  blood ^  ounce 

Tincture  of  opium %  ounce 

These  should  be  dissolved  and  mixed  with  a  pint  of 
water,  or  with  thin,  easily  digested  food,  and  from  one 
to  two  teaspoonfuls  given  to  each  fowl  three  or  four 
times  daily. 

After  the  disease  has  disappeared,  no  healthy  fowls 
should  be  brought  into  the  infected  quarters  until  they 
have  been  thoroughly  disinfected.  It  is  best  to  disin- 
fect, whitewash,  admit  sunshine  and  fresh  air  to  the 
quarters  for  six  months  to  one  year  after  the  disease 
has  disappeared.  It  is  the  best  plan,  where  a  consider- 
able number  of  fowls  are  kept,  to  divide  them  into 
small  separate  flocks,  as  they  do  better,  and  contagious 
diseases  are  more  easily  checked. 


Black   Head   and  Roup  397 

BLACK   HEAD 

This  is  a  disease  of  turkeys  and  chickens,  due  to  the 
presence  in  the  intestines  of  an  animal  germ.  It  is  fre- 
quently seen  in  the  eastern  states. 

There  is  diarrhea,  resembling  that  of  fowl  cholera, 
except  that  it  is  not  so  severe  and  is  not  attended  with 
great  weakness  and  prostration.  There  is  dullness  or 
partial  stupor.  As  the  disorder  progresses,  the  comb, 
and  later  the  wattles,  become  dark  purple,  a  symptom 
from  which  the  disease  takes  its  name. 

At  present  there  seems  to  be  no  satisfactory  medic- 
inal treatment.  The  best  plan  is  to  kill  the  bird  as 
soon  as  the  first  symptoms  appear  and  burn  the  body. 
The  quarters  should  be  disinfected  and  kept  clean.  The 
food  and  water  supply  must  be  wholesome.  If  these 
things  are  carefully  looked  after,  and  no  diseased  birds 
are  allowed  to  remain  with  the  healthy  ones,  there  is 
little  trouble  in  checking  the  difficulty. 

ROUP 

Roup  is  a  contagious  inflammation  of  the  mucous 
membranes  of  the  head  of  fowls,  associated  with  a 
catarrhal  discharge  from  the  nostrils  and  eyes.  It  is  a 
common  disease,  especially  when  poultry  is  kept  in 
damp  and  unsanitary  quarters.  It  is  due  to  a  germ 
which  may  be  introduced  by  means  of  diseased  fowls, 
or  by  infected  coops  or  pens.  Good  care  and  food 
enable  birds  to  resist  invasion  by  the  germs.  Any  con- 
ditions that  tend  to  lessen  the  vitality  of  the  bird  favor 
the  development  of  the  disease.  ^ 


398  The    Care    of  Animals 

At  first,  the  discharge  is  thin  and  watery;  but 
later  it  becomes  thick  and  yellow,  collecting  about  the 
nostrils  and  in  the  eyes  and  throat.  The  fowl  is  often 
unable  to  see,  owing  to  the  inflammation,  swelling  and 
collecting  of  matter  about  the  eyes.  As  the  disease  pro- 
gresses, the  comb  and  wattles  become  abnormally  red, 
and  the  clogging  of  the  nostrils  and  throat  makes  breath- 
ing difficult.  Throughout  its  sickness,  the  bird  is  dull 
and  weak,  with  plumage  rough  and  erect.  Finally,  the 
fowl  becomes  unconscious  and  then  soon  dies. 

In  most  cases,  the  best  treatment  is  to  kill  and  burn 
the  bird  as  soon  as  the  disease  appears.  Antiseptics 
used  about  the  head  will  usually  overcome  the  disease. 
Creolin,  one  part  to  one  hundred  parts  of  water,  is  excel- 
lent; also,  boric  acid,  twenty  grains  to  one  ounce  of 
water;  also,  kerosene  oil.  In  all  cases,  the  mucus  should 
be  washed  away,  the  parts  well  cleaned,  and  the  remedy 
thoroughly  applied. 

In  the  spring  or  fall  it  frequently  happens  that  a 
number  of  birds  are  noticed  sneezing  and  snuffing  from 
colds,  with  a  slight  discharge  of  mucus  from  the 
nostrils.  For  these  "colds,"  and  as  a  preventive  of 
roup,  one  teaspoonful  of  pure  carbolic  acid  to  one 
gallon  of  drinking  water,  is  excellent. 


CHAPTER    XVII 

MISCELLANEO  US    DISEA  SES 

There  is  no  single  satisfactory  method  of  classifjdng 
diseases.  In  this  book  that  classification  has  been 
adopted  that  promises  to  be  of  most  service  to  the 
farmer  and  stockman.  There  still  remain,  however,  a 
number  of  important  diseases  that  do  not  fall  readily 
under  any  of  the  preceding  heads,  and  these  are  now 
placed    together    here. 

AZOTURIA 

There  seems  to  be  no  established  common  name  for 
this  disease  of  horses,  although  the  term  "bloody  water" 
is  sometimes  applied.  Azoturia  is  a  form  of  poisoning 
resulting  from  high  feeding  and  lack  of  exercise.  It 
always  occurs  in  horses  that  are  in  good  flesh  or  fat, 
when  they  are  exercised  after  standing  in  the  stable  for 
one  or  more  days.  The  blood  seems  to  be  loaded  with 
nitrogenous  waste  material  which  the  excretory  organs 
are  unable  to  throw  off  when  the  horse  is  exercised,  and 
a  peculiar  form  of  paralysis  and  poisoning  results. 

A  horse  in  good  flesh,  after  standing  in  the  stable  for 
a  day  or  more,  is  taken  out  and  seems  to  be  in  excellent 
spirits;  but  after  going  a  short  distance,  varying  from 
a  few  rods  to  a  mile  or  more,  he  goes  lame  or  stiff  in  the 

(399) 


400  The    Care    of  Animals 

hind  parts,  often  humping  the  back  in  a  peculiar  way. 
He  sweats  profusely,  there  is  a  trembling  of  the  muscles, 
and  he  moves  with  much  difficulty,  gradually  losing  con- 
trol of  his  hind  parts  and  "going  down,"  often  before  he 
can  be  returned  to  the  stable;  he  struggles  to  rise,  but 
is  unable  to  do  so.  The  affected  muscles  of  the  loins 
and  hips  are  swollen,  tense  and  rigid.  The  urine  is 
turbid  and  dark  in  color,  varjdng  from  a  reddish  coffee 
to  a  very  dark  brown,  almost  black.  In  severe  cases, 
there  is  a  period  of  excitement  that  lasts  a  day  or  two, 
during  which  the  horse  struggles  much.  Azoturia 
varies  in  severity,  from  a  slight  lameness  that  soon 
passes  away,  to  severe  cases  when  death  takes  place 
in  a  few  hours. 

Place  the  horse  in  warm,  comfortable  quarters. 
If  he'  can  stand  after  being  assisted  to  his  feet,  he 
should  be  kept  standing  even  if  slings  must  be  used. 
If  he  cannot  be  got  on  his  feet,  he  should  be  placed  in 
a  comfortable  position  and  well  bedded  to  prevent  his 
doing  injurj^  to  himself.  Attendants  should  exercise 
care  to  avoid  being  hurt  by  the  animal.  The  horse 
should  be  warmly  clothed,  and  rugs  wrung  from  hot 
water  placed  over  the  affected  parts  and  changed  every 
half  hour.  A  purge  of  six  to  eight  drams  of  aloes 
should  be  given  as  a  ball.  During  the  period  of  excite- 
ment, bromide  of  potash  in  half -ounce  to  ounce  doses 
may  be  given  every  five  hours.  Citrate  of  lithium  in 
dram  doses,  three  times  daily,  is  good.  The  horse 
should  be  given  all  the  water  he  wants,  and  an  ounce 
of  sweet  spirits  of  niter  twice  daily  to  stimulate  the 
kidneys.     After  the   excitement   has  passed,  iodide  of 


Azotiiria — Difficult    Urinat'uuj  401 

potash  in  dram  doses  three  times  daily  in  place  of  the 
bromide  may  be  given.  During  the  early  stages  of  the 
disease  no  food  should  be  allowed,  but  after  a  day  or  two 
thin  bran  gruels  and  a  little  hay  may  be  offered.  If  the 
horse  is  down,  he  should  be  turned  every  twelve  hours. 
Recovery  comes  slowly;  in  the  meantime  tonic  medi- 
cines should  be  given,  such  as  powdered  nux  vomica  iu 
one -dram  doses  three  times  daily.  It  is  usually  neces- 
sary to  draw  the  urine  with  a  catheter.  In  some  cases 
there  is  lameness  and  a  dragging  of  the  leg  that  per- 
sists for  some  time,  but  finally  disappears 

RETENTION    OF    URINE 

Diseases  of  the  urinary  system  are  not  common  in 
the  lower  animals.  One  that  is  popularly  supposed  to 
be  rather  frequent  is  inability  to  pass  urine.  It  is  com- 
mon to  see  a  horse  stand  stretched  out  as  if  to  pass 
urine,  and  not  be  able  do  so.  This  symptom  is  often 
associated  with  colic,  and  is  one  of  the  most  common 
symptoms  of  indigestion.  In  spasmodic  colic,  when  the 
cramps  cease  the  horse  often  passes  some  urine,  but  the 
retention  of  urine  is  rarely  the  cause  of  the  cramps. 
In  all  cases  in  which  inability  to  pass  urine  is  suspected, 
medicines  that  will  increase  the  amount  of  urine,  such 
as  spirits  of  niter  and  saltpeter,  should  be  avoided. 

Horses  often  refuse  to  pass  urine  on  the  street 
or  hard  floor  or  while  in  the  harness,  and  will  often 
retain  it  until  it  causes  uneasiness.  In  such  cases,  if 
led  on  a  pile  of  straw  or  other  similar  material,  the 
animal    will    pass   the   urine   voluntarily.      When    it  is 


402  The    Care    of  Animals 

retained  for  other  reasons,  a  veterinarian  should  be 
called.  It  is  often  necessary  to  pass  a  flexible  tube  into 
the  bladder  to  draw  the  urine  away. 

STONE    IN    THE    BLADDER 

In  horses  and  steers,  rarely  in  other  animals,  there 
are  sometimes  found  one  or  more  hard  lumps  of  ma- 
terial commonly  called  "stones  "  or  "gravel."  They  may 
occur  in  the  bladder,  the  kidneys,  or  in  the  duct  leading 
from  the  bladder  to  the  outside,  called  the  "urethra." 
The  stones  or  gravel  are  composed  of  salts,  usually  con- 
taining lime,  deposited  by  the  urine  in  the  form  of 
concretions.  They  vary  in  size  from  that  of  shot  to  the 
size  of  an  egg,  but  in  most  cases  they  are  small  and 
irregular  in  form.  They  are  technically  called  "urinary 
calculi." 

The  symptoms  vary,  but  in  general  there  is  irritation 
and  difficulty  in  passing  urine,  the  animal  standing  and 
straining  after  passing  it.  The  urine  often  contains  a 
little  blood  or  mucus.  If  the  bowel  is  emptied  by  an 
enema,  the  stones  can  sometimes  be  felt  if  the  hand  is 
passed  into  the  rectum  and  applied  to  the  bladder,  which 
lies  just  below.  Calculi  in  the  urinary  system  appear 
to  be  common  in  some  localities  and  rare  in  others. 
The  reason  for  this  is  not  definitely  known,  but  is 
thought  to  be  associated  with  an  excess  of  mineral  sub- 
stances in  the  food  or  water. 

When  the  calculi  are  small,  in  the  form  commonly 
called  "gravel,"  laxative  food  and  a  change  of  drinking 
water,  together  with  a  dram  of  citrate  of  lithium  in  the 


Gravel  — Foul    Sheath  403 

water  once  daily,  will  often  remove  the  concretions.  In 
case  the  calculi  are  large  or  cause  much  irritation,  the 
best  treatment  is  to  remove  them  surgically.  In  mares 
this  can  easily  be  done  in  most  cases  by  passing  a 
"goosebilled"  forceps  into  the  bladder  through  the  ure- 
thra, crushing  the  calculi  and  removing  the  pieces.  In 
males  it  is  necessary  to  make  an  incision  into  the 
urethra  just  below  the  anus,  and  to  pass  the  forceps 
into  the  bladder  through  this  incision.  A  skilled 
surgeon  should  be  employed  to  perform  the  operation. 

FOUL    SHEATH 

In  some  males,  especially  wethers,  steers  and  geld- 
ings, there  is  sometimes  an  accumulation  of  material 
from  the  glands  of  the  skin  of  the  sheath,  which  often 
hinders  the  free  discharge  of  urine.  This  deposit  may 
dilate  the  sheath  and  by  retaining  urine  increase  the 
trouble.  The  sheath  may  be  distended  with  a  decom- 
posing mass  of  material  that  greatly  annoys  the  animal, 
and  causes  a  general  debility  through  the  absorption 
of  the  poisons  resulting  from  it. 

The  hair  or  wool  should  be  clipped  away,  and  if  nec- 
essary an  incision  should  be  made  from  the  entrance  of 
the  sheath  backward  in  order  to  make  a  free  opening 
and  to  remove  the  irritating  material.  Wash  thor- 
oughly with  warm  water  and  soap,  and  afterward  apply 
white  lotion.  In  geldings  the  sheath  and  penis  should 
be  greased  with  fresh  lard  or  vaseline.  In  cattle  and 
sheep,  it  is  often  necessary  to  treat  several  times  before 
the  parts  return  to  their  normal  condition. 


404  The    Care    of  Animals 

PARALYSIS    OF    THE    PENIS 

This  condition  most  frequently  occurs  in  aged  horses 
and  is  due  to  debility  of  advancing  age.  It  may  also 
occur  in  serving  stallions  from  injury  or  debility.  In 
old  horses  the  only  treatment  is  to  aniputate  the  penis. 
In  other  cases,  the  cause  should  be  sought  and  removed; 
this  to  be  followed  by  a  course  of  tonic  medicines  and 
nutritious  food.  Give  Fowler's  solution  (of  arsenic), 
beginning  with  one -dram  doses  in  the  feed  once  daily 
and  increasing  one  dram  daily  until  half  an  ounce  is 
given  in  the  feed  three  times  a  daj^  One  dram  of 
pulverized  nux  vomica  seed  in  the  feed  three  times 
a  day  is  good. 

FREQUENT    URINATING   IN   MARES 

Some  mares  have  a  most  disagreeable  habit  of  pass- 
ing small  quantities  of  urine  and  often  switching  the 
tail  at  the  same  time.  Such  mares  are  usually  of  a 
nervous  temperament;  and  the  vice  is  most  likely  to 
occur  when  the  animal  is  irritated  or  in  heat. 

In  some  cases,  when  the  animal  is  not  badly  affected, 
allowing  her  to  raise  a  colt  will  cause  the  difficulty  to 
disappear,  although  it  is  difficult,  as  a  rule,  to  get 
such  mares  to  breed.  In  other  instances,  the  removal 
of  the  "clitoris,"  a  small  organ  just  inside  the  lower 
part  of  the  vulva,  will  stop  the  trouble.  In  bad  cases, 
the  best  treatment  is  to  spay  the  mare.  Usually  this 
will  stop  the  vice,  but  sometimes  it  will  not. 


Dropsy  405 

DROPSY 

Dropsy  is  known  by  the  collecting  of  watery  fluid  in 
some  part  of  the  body,  either  in  a  cavity,  as  the  abdomen, 
or  by  infiltration  into  the  tissues.  Usually  dropsy  is 
due  to  a  weakened  circulation,  or  to  general  debility. 

There  is  swelling  of  the  part  without  inflammation 
or  particular  pain.  If  the  fluid  is  in  a  cavity,  the  fact 
is  readily  determined  by  the  enlargement  and  its  watery 
contents.  When  the  fluid  infiltrates  into  the  tissues, 
there  is  pitting  of  the  part  on  pressure,  the  pits  remain- 
ing for  some  time  after  the  pressure  is  removed.  The 
circulation  in  the  part  is  usually  poor,  and  the  region 
is  colder  than   normal. 

A  mild  dropsical  condition  is  commonly  called 
"stocking"  or  "stocks."  In  this  case  the  horse's  legs 
swell,  usually  after  standing  in  the  stable  during  the 
winter  season.  The  swelling  disappears  on  driving  or 
exercise,  but  returns  on  standing. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  restore  the  circulation 
in  the  part.  In  some  cases  this  can  be  accomplished  by 
removing  some  abnormal  pressure  that  interferes  with 
the  blood  supply.  Hand -rubbing,  bathing  with  hot 
water  and  gentle  exercise  are  good.  Some  medicine 
should  be  given  to  stimulate  the  kidneys  to  carry  away 
the  excess  of  fluid,  such  as  saltpeter  in  ounce  doses  for 
an  adult  horse  once  daily  for  three  or  four  days.  A 
variety  of  nutritious  laxative  food,  to  nourish  the  ani- 
mal and  keep  the  bowels  open,  is  important.  Tonic 
condition  powders  in  the  feed  are  excellent.  The  aim  is 
to  bring  the  animal  to  a  vigorous  condition. 


40G  The    Care    of  Anirtmh 

Some  cases  of  dropsy  are  due  to  chronic  organic 
trouble,  and  are  likely  to  be  serious.  The  cause  of  the 
original  disease  is  to  be  sought  and  removed,  when 
the  dropsical  condition  usually  disappears. 

LYMPHANGITIS 

"Big  leg"  is  an  inflammation  of  the  lymphatic  glands, 
usually  of  the  hind  legs.  In  some  respects  it  resembles 
"stocking,"  but  it  is  much  more  severe  and  usually  af- 
fects the  whole  system.  This  disease  is  also  called  "milk 
leg,"  especially  when  it  has  become  chronic  and  the 
leg  is  permanently  enlarged.  Lymphangitis  is  most 
frequent  in  heavy  draft  horses,  or  in  coarse  plethoric 
individuals,  but  it  may  occur  in  any  horse. 

The  disease  is  likely  to  occur  after  a  short  period  of 
idleness.  It  usually  begins  with  a  chill,  which  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  fever.  The  temperature  may  go  to  105°, 
depending  on  the  severity  of  the  attack.  The  affected 
leg  is  swollen  and  tender,  the  horse  is  often  able  to  bear 
but  little  weight  on  it,  and  manipulation,  especially  on 
the  inside,  causes  pain.  The  lymphatic  glands  and 
vessels  extending  down  on  the  inside  of  the  thigh  are 
swollen,  cord- like  and  tender.  The  pulse  is  full  and 
throbbing,  respiration  rapid,  appetite  lost  and  the 
bowels    constipated. 

In  chronic  cases,  the  leg  becomes  permanently  en- 
larged, the  inflammation  subsides,  and  the  animal  suffers 
little  inconvenience  except  from  the  immobility  of  the 
leg.     This  condition  is  called  "elephantiasis." 

A  purgative  of  six  to  eight  drams  of  aloes  should 


Leg— Loco  '  407 

be  given,  to  open  th^  bowels  freely  ;  the  kidneys  may 
be  stimulated  by  giving  an  ounce  of  saltpeter  once 
daily  for  three  days.  The  leg  should  be  bathed  with 
hot  water  for  twenty  minutes  at  a  time  three  times 
a  day,  and  thoroughly  rubbed  until  dry  ;  then  an  oint- 
ment,—  two  ounces  of  gum  camphor  dissolved  in  eight 
ounces  of  fresh -melted  lard, — should  be  well  rubbed  in. 
Iodide  of  potash,  in  dram  doses,  given  once  daily  for 
three  days  is  excellent.  Horses  subject  to  this  disease 
are  said  to  have  "humors  in  their  blood."  The  disease 
often  resembles  farcy. 

LOCO    DISEASE 

Loco  is  a  disease  attacking  horses,  cattle  and  sheep 
in  the  great  plains  region,  due  to  the  eating  of  two 
plants,  commonly  called  "loco  weeds,"  Astragalus  mol- 
lissimus  and  Oxyfropis  Lamhertii,  both  belonging  to 
the  natural  family  Leguminosae.  These  plants,  charac- 
teristic of  the  great  plains,  attain  a  height  of  six 
to  twelve  inches  ;  the  leaves  are  compound;  and  the 
leaflets  and  stems  are  covered  with  a  fine  pubescence, 
which  gives  the  plant  a  gray  or  silvery  appearance. 
Of  the  two  plants,  the  astragalus  is  the  more  common 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  great  plains,  while  the 
oxytropis  predominates  in  the  northern  region.  Other 
closely  related  plants  are  perhaps  also  called  loco  plants. 

The  name  "/oco"  is  from  the  Spanish,  and  signifies 
crazy.  It  takes  its  name  from  the  fact  that  animals 
that  acquire  the  habit  of  eating  the  plant  act  as  if 
insane  or  foolish,  and  they  are  said  to  be  "locoed." 


408  '  The    Care    of  Animals 

Animals  usually  begin  to  eat  the  loco  plants  during 
the  winter  and  spring,  when  other  food  is  scarce. 
Loco  weeds  remain  somewhat  green  throughout  the  win- 
ter season,  and,  though  they  do  not  seem  palatable  at 
first,  yet  animals  eating  them  under  force  of  circum- 
stances soon  acquire  the  taste,  and  afterward  will  leave 
other  food  to  go  in  search  of  them. 

As  soon  as  animals  acquire  a  taste  for  loco,  they  lag 
behind  the  herd  or  wander  awaj'  in  search  of  their  favor- 
ite food.  They  will  often  remain  hy  themselves  in 
localities  where  loco  weed  is  abundant,  and  may  go 
several  days  without  water.  They  crop  it  close  to  the 
ground,  often  getting  a  portion  of  the  root.  Having 
acquired  a  taste  for  the  loco  weed,  the  animal  falls 
awaj^  in  flesh  rapidly,  and,  as  the  difficulty  pro- 
gresses, they  become  so  emaciated  that  in  the  last 
stages  they  are  unable  to  stand  or  move  about,  and, 
unless  otherwise  destroyed,  die  of  starvation.  In 
the  early  stages,  there  is  general  sluggishness,  diffi- 
cult locomotion,  and  a  stiff  and  stilted  action  of  the 
legs,  with  trembling  of  the  voluntary  muscles.  If  an 
animal  lies  down  and  then  attempts  to  rise,  several 
efforts  may  be  required,  and  it  may  turn  a  complete 
somersault  before  gaining  its  feet.  The  head  trembles 
violently,  and  the  animal  may  hold  its  mouth  open  for 
a  time.  There  is  usually  a  peculiar,  vacant  stare.  The 
animal  receives  impressions  through  the  eye,  but  does 
not  seem  to  comprehend  them,  and  will  often  stand 
for  some  time  staring  at  a  familiar  object,  exhibiting 
symptoms  of  fear,  until  the  true  nature  of  the  object 
seems  to  dawn  upon   its   brain.      Sometimes,  although 


Loco  409 

suffering  for  water,  it  seems  to  be  afraid  to  approach 
a  tank  for  fear  of  falling  in. 

Locoed  cattle  do  not  shed  the  hair  readil}'  in  the 
spring,  and  in  midsummer  they  can  be  distinguished  by 
the  ragged  patches  of  old  hair  which  are  still  clinging. 
As  the  disease  progresses,  the  animal  becomes  much 
emaciated  and  there  is  dropsical  swelling  of  the  head 
and  legs  and  other  dependent  parts  of  the  body. 

Locoed  horses  exhibit  the  same  general  symptoms  as 
cattle  and  sheep.  They  are  uneasy  and  "weave  about" 
when  standing,  and  can  be  led  or  pulled  along  only 
with  much  difficulty.  A  straw,  stick  or  shadow  across 
the  path  may  cause  a  locoed  horse  to  sheer  violently  to 
one  side  or  jump  several  feet  high  in  order  to  clear  the 
imaginary  obstacle.  If  allowed  to  stare  at  it  a  few  mo- 
ments until  it  comprehends  the  nature  of  the  object,  it 
Avill  usuall}'  pass  it  freely.  Locoed  horses  are  subject  to 
fits,  or  "crazy  spells."  These  fits  are  especially  liable  to 
occur  when  the  animal  is  working  and  the  day  is  warm. 
During  the  paroxysm,  the  animal  is  delirious,  and  may 
rear  and  plunge  violently,  often  falling  to  the  ground 
in  an  unconscious  condition,  the  eyes  rolling  in  their 
sockets  or  turning  so  as  to  expose  the  whites.  These 
fits  usually  last  but  a  short  time.  It  is  generally  con- 
sidered that  a  locoed  horse,  although  deprived  of  the 
loco  weed  until  broken  of  the  habit,  seldom  amounts  to 
anything  afterward  on  account  of  its  tendency  to  have 
fits.  Locoed  cattle  and  sheep  do  not  feed  well,  and  can 
be  fattened  only  with  difficulty. 

It  was  formerly  supposed  that  loco  resulted  from 
some  poisonous  substance  found  in  the  plant,  but  thor- 


410  The    Care    of  Animals 

ough  chemical  examinations  have  failed  to  discover  any 
poison  and  the  general  symptoms  indicate  that  locoed 
animals  are  suffering  from  gradual  starvation.  The 
loco  plants  do  not  seem  to  possess  sufficient  nourish- 
ment to  sustain  the  animal. 

Animals  that  show  a  tendency  to  eat  loco  plants 
should  be  placed  where  they  cannot  gain  access  to  them 
and  be  fed  well  on  nutritious  and  easily  digested  food. 
A  good  tonic  condition  powder  may  be  given,  made 
as  follows  : 

Sulfate  of  iron 1  ounce 

Gentian  root,  pulverized 2  ounces 

Nux  vomica  seed 1  ounce 

Saltpeter 1  ounce 

The  ingredients  should  be  thoroughly  pulverized  and 
well  mixed,  and  a  heaping  teaspoonful  given  in  the 
feed  three  times  daily.  Cattle  and  sheep  should  be 
fatted  for  the  market. 

CORNSTALK    DISEASE* 

In  the  corn -growing  regions  of  the  central  and 
western  states,  it  is  a  common  practice  to  turn  cattle 
into  the  fields  after  the  corn  has  been  gathered,  in 
order  to  utilize  the  stalks  that  otherwise  would  be 
wasted.  Frequent  and  heavy  losses  of  cattle  occur 
from  what  is  commonly  called  '^cornstalk  disease,"  a 
disorder  that  occurs  only  under  such  conditions  as 
these. 

*Por  further  information,  see  Report  of  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  Bulletin 
No.  10,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Bulletin  No.  58,  Kan.  Expt.  Station,  and  Bul- 
letin No.  52,  Neb.  Expt.  Station. 


Cortisfalk    Jiisease  411 

Cornstalk  disease  is  most  coraraoii  in  years  when 
there  is  a  heavy  growth  of  cornstalks,  and  after  the 
stalks  are  thoroughly  dried.  Attacks  also  appear  to  be 
associated  with  cold,  wet  storms.  Younger  cattle  seem 
to  be  more  susceptible  than  older  ones,  and  the  disease 
is  most  frequent  when  the  cattle  are  first  turned  into 
the  fields,  or  changed  from  one  field  to  another. 

The  disease  comes  on  suddenly,  with  few  premoni- 
tory signs.  The  first  symptom  usually  noticed  is  that 
the  animal  stands  apart  from  its  fellows  and  appears  to 
be  ''humped  up."  If  made  to  move,  it  does  so  reluctantly 
with  a  peculiar,  "wabbling"  gait.  There  is  switching 
of  the  tail  and  kicking  toward  the  belly.  There  are 
usually  indications  of  delirium,  and,  as  the  disease  pro- 
gresses, these  become  more  marked  and  associated  with 
signs  of  severe  pain,  such  as  bellowing  and  moaning. 
Death  usually  follows  within  twenty -four  hours.  The 
real  cause  of  the  disease  is  not  definitely  known,  but  is 
probably  due  either  to  acute  indigestion,  as  a  result  of 
too  much  coarse,  indigestible  food,  or  poisoning  by 
some  substance  in  the  stalks.  It  is  not  caused,  as  often 
supposed,  by  corn -smut,  or  by  bacteria.  There  is  a 
popular  belief  that  it  is  caused  bj'  impaction,  but  this 
is  only  a  symptom  of  the  disease. 

There  is  no  medicinal  treattnent  that  seems  to  be  of 
any  benefit,  but  the  following  preventive  precautions 
will  greatly  reduce  the  losses,  if  carefully  followed: 
Cattle  should  be  well  fed  and  watered  before  turning 
into  the  fields,  and  some  laxative  food,  such  as  alfalfa 
or  millet,  fed  every  day.  They  should  be  turned  on 
the  stalks  gradually,  beginning  with  a  half  hour  the  first 


412  The    Care    of  Animals 

da}'  and  gradually  increasiug  the  time  as  the  animals 
become  accustomed  to  the  change  of  food.  It  is  prob- 
able that  several  diseases  are  often  confused  under 
the  name  "cornstalk  disease." 

"big  jaw,"  or  actinomycosis  of  cattle 

This  disease  is  also  called  "lump  jaw,"  and  in  some 
localities  the  bunches,  or  tumors,  are  called  wens. 
Actinomycosis  is  due  to  a  vegfetable  organism  that  gains 
entrance  to  the  tissues,  and,  growing,  produces  a  lump 
or  tumor,  which  may  grow  to  a  large  size.  It  usually 
occurs  in  the  region  of  the  head  or  neck.     Figs.  57,  58. 

The  first  symptom  is  a  slight  swelling,  such  as  might 
come  from  an  injury,  usually  appearing  on  the  face  or 
lower  jaw.  In  most  cases  the  enlargement  is  due  to  the 
bulging  outward  of  the  bone,  the  fungus  causing  the 
disease  having  gotten  inside  the  bone  by  working  its 
way  along  the  roots  of  the  teeth.  As  the  disease  pro- 
gresses, the  tumor  becomes  larger  and  finally  breaks,  dis- 
charging a  thick,  sticky  pus,  but  it  does  not  diminish 
much  in  size  as  a  result  of  this  discharge.  It  may  heal 
temporarily,  but  it  gradually  increases  in  size  and,  later, 
breaks  again.  The  teeth  in  the  affected  part  often  be- 
come ulcerated  and  the  jaw  sore,  so  that  the  animal  is 
unable  to  chew  its  food  properly.  Actinomycosis  is 
rarely  seen  in  calves. 

If  a  drop  of  the  pus  from  an  actinomj^cotic  tumor  is 
spread  out  thinly  on  a  piece  of  glass,  minute  j-ellow 
specks  can  be  seen  with  the  naked  eye.  If  these  specks 
are  placed  under  a  microscope    and  slightly  flattened. 


Liimpy    Jaw    of   Cattle 


413 


Fig.  57.     Lumpy  jaw,  or  actinomycosis. 


they  will  be  found  to  be  rosettes  of  club-shaped  fungi. 
This  fungus  (Cladothrix  actinomyces  var.  hovis)  is  the 
cause   of   the   disease. 

If  the  tumor  is  free  from  the  bone,  the  best  treatment 
is  to  remove  it  with  the  knife,  and  treat  the  part  as  a 
simple  wound.  If  it  cannot  be  removed,  in  many  cases 
it  can  be  cured  by  giving  iodide  of  potash  internally  in 


414  The    Care    of  Animals 

doses  of  one  to  three  drams  once  daily,  dissolved  in 
a  half  pint  of  water.  In  about  a  week,  a  condition 
known  as  "iodism"  is  set  up.  This  is  shown  by  a  dis- 
charge of  mucus  from  the  nose  and  eyes,  and  a  scurfy 
condition  of  the  skin,  especially  of  the  neck,  as  if  bran 
were  scattered  at  the  roots  of  the  hair.  When  iodism  is 
noticed,  the  medicine  should  be  stopped.  The  tumor  in 
most  cases  gradually  disappears,  and  the  animal  makes 
a  good  recovery.     If  one  treatment  is  not  sufficient,  it 


Fig.  58.     Lumpy  jaw,  Actinomycosis  bovis. 

may  be  repeated  in  two  weeks.  An  animal  with  a  tumor 
that  is  discharging  should  not  be  allowed  to  run  with 
other  cattle,  as  the  pus  scattered  on  the  food  may  carry 
the  disease.  In  most  cases,  it  is  thought  that  the  fun- 
gus grows  outside  the  animal  body  on  material  that 
may  be  taken  as  food,  and,  entering  a  wound,  is  capable 
of  growing  and  causing  the  disease. 

If  the  tumor  is  not  large,  or  is  not  discharging  so 
as  to  affect  the  general  health,  the  flesh  of  the  animal 
is  not  considered  to  be  dangerous  for  food. 


Biy   Jaiv — Rheumatism  415 

Some  cases  can  be  successful!}-  treated  by  making 
several  punctures  into  the  tumor  and  inserting  pellets 
of  arsenic  about  the  size  of  a  large  pea  wrapped  in 
tissue  paper.  In  a  few  days  the  tumor  will  begin  to 
separate  from  the  adjoining  tissue  and  slough  out.  The 
part  should  be  washed  with  antiseptics  and  treated  as 
a  simple  wound. 

RHEUMATISM 

Rheumatism  usually  occurs  in  animals  that  are 
confined  in  damp  quarters,  without  sufficient  exercise, 
and  especially  when  the  food  supply  is  not  adapted  to 
the  wants  of  the  subject.  It  is  common  in  j'oung 
animals,  especially  puppies. 

The  animal  develops  lameness,  usually  severe,  asso- 
ciated with  soreness  of  the  muscles  and  swelling  of  the 
joints.  There  is  often  a  high  fever,  the  animal  lying 
quietly  by  itself,  as  movement  causes  severe  pain.  As 
animals  become  old,  there  is  stiffness  of  the  joints  and 
muscles  that  causes  considerable  difficulty  in  locomotion. 
There  is  also  "cracking"  of  the  joints  when  a  horse 
first  starts  to  move. 

The  animal  should  be  placed  in  warm,  dry  sunny 
quarters  and  be  warmly  clad.  Laxative  food,  or  a  mild 
purgative,  should  be  given  to  open  the  bowels.  The 
affected  muscles  and  joints  may  be  bathed  with  warm 
water,  wiped  dry  and  well  rubbed  with  a  stimulating 
liniment  which  will  not  blister  the  skin.  For  dogs  and 
small  animals,  a  teaspoonful  of  sweet  spirits  of  niter  in 
warm  water  may  be  given  to  stimulate  the  kidneys  and 
reduce  the  fever.   An  ounce  may  be  given  to  a  horse,  or  a 


416  The    Care    of  Animals 

heaping  teaspooiiful  of  saltpeter  twice  daily.  Iodide  of 
potash,  in  doses  varying  from  three  grains  for  a  dog  to 
a  dram  for  a  horse,  may  be  given  once  daily,  dissolved  in 
water.  The  food  of  animals  suffering  from  rheumatism 
should  be  carefully  looked  after,  and  a  variety  of  laxa- 
tive, easily  digested,  nutritious  material  furnished.  For 
puppies,  plenty  of  milk  should  be  allowed. 

"  THUMPS  "    IN   PIGS 

"Thumps"  is  a  name  that  is  commonly  applied  to  a 
peculiar  spasmodic  contraction  of  the  diaphragm  or 
midriff  in  young  pigs.  This  condition  is  usually  as- 
sociated with  some  disturbance  of  the  digestive  system, 
and  is  likely  to  occur  when  the  pigs  are  fed  on  one  kind 
of  food.  Constipation  and  lack  of  exercise  are  often 
associated  with  this  disease.  Feeding  the  pigs  too  much 
at  a  time  is  often  thought  to  be  a  cause.  The  real 
cause  of  the  trouble  is  not  definitely  known. 

The  pigs  are  noticed  to  be  affected  with  a  sort  of 
hiccoughs  that  is  persistent,  and  if  not  relieved  is 
likely  to  cause  death.  There  is  a  jerking  movement 
of  the  muscles  of  the  body  that  causes  a  peculiar  thump, 
from  which  the  disease  takes  its  name. 

Empty  the  stomach  and  bowels  by  giving  a  purga- 
tive; this  to  be  followed  by  a  spare  diet  of  laxative, 
nutritious  food,  given  frequently  in  small  amounts. 
Give  from  two  teaspoonfuls  to  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
Epsom  or  Glauber  salts,  or  one  to  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
castor -oil,  depending  on  the  size  and  age  of  the  pig. 
From  one  to  four  drops  of  laudanum,  with  one  or  two 


Cases    of  Poisoning  417 

teaspoonfuls  of  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia  in  half  a 
cup  of  quite  hot  water,  will  in  most  cases  stop  the  jerk- 
ing of  the  muscles.  Careful  attention  is  to  be  given  to 
the  subsequent  feeding. 

POISONING    OF   ANIMALS 

When  animals  are  maliciously  poisoned,  the  drugs 
commonly  used  are  arsenic  (either  as  "white  arsenic" 
or  Paris  green)  or  strychnine.  When  arsenic  is  used, 
there  are  symptoms  of  abdominal  pain  and  irritation  of 
the  bowels,  as  shown  by  purging  and  straining.  When 
strychnine  is  used  the  animal  is  thrown  into  convul- 
sions, the  muscles  becoming  stiff  and  rigid.  The  con- 
vulsions become  more  frequent,  until  the  animal  dies 
from  suffocation. 

In  all  cases,  if  the  animal  is  seen  in  the  early  stages, 
vomiting  should  be  induced,  to  empty  the  stomach  of 
any  poison  that  has  not  been  absorbed.  Cattle  and 
horses  cannot  vomit  under  ordinary  conditions.  Vomit- 
ing can  be  induced  by  irritating  the  throat  with  the  fin- 
ger, or  by  giving  a  mixture  of  a  teaspoonful  of  mustard 
in  a  teacupful  of  tepid  water.  If  the  poison  is  an  irri- 
tant, a  dose  of  oil  and  milk  is  excellent  to  move  the 
bowels  and  soothe  them.  Any  bland  oil  may  be  given 
rather  freely.  After  the  oil  has  acted,  medicines  to  stop 
the  pain,  such  as  laudanum,  may  be  given,  one  dram 
to  a  dog,  one  ounce  to  a  horse  and  one  to  two  ounces 
to  cattle. 

When  strychnine  has  been  taken,  the  stomach  should 
be  emptied,  if    possible,  and  medicines    given  to    stop 

AA 


418  The    Care    of  Animals 

the  contraction  of  the  muscles,  as  chloral  hydrate,  in 
dram  doses  for  a  medium -sized  dog  to  one  ounce  for  a 
horse,  dissolved  in  plenty  of  water.  When  the  spasms 
occur,  a  few  whiffs  of  chloroform  or  ether  will  lessen 
their  severity. 

Most  cases  of  poisoning  by  plants  occur  in  the 
spring,  when  animals  are  first  turned  out  to  pasture 
and  before  the  grass  is  well  started.  Animals  will  then 
eat  plants  that  under  other  circumstances  they  would 
not  touch. 

Animals  confined  in  yards  or  corrals,  especially  where 
weeds  are  starting  in  the  spring,  are  very  likely  to  eat 
injurious  kinds.  They  may  die  from  the  effects  of  such 
poisoning.  It  is  probable  that  poisonous  substances 
sometimes  develop  in  plants  at  particular  stages  of 
their  growth,  and  disappear  as  the  plants  mature.  It 
is  probable,  also,  that  animals  dying  from  apparent 
poisoning  may  really  be  destroyed  by  a  sudden  change 
of  food,  especially  from  dry  food  to  green  ;  this  is  true 
when  the  green  food  is  not  of  good  quality,  and  when  it 
contains  weeds  and  other  irritating  material.  If  an  ani- 
mal is  hungry  and  the  stomach  contains  comparatively 
little  food,  eating  a  large  quantity  of  green  weeds  or 
similar  material  brings  on  acute  indigestion,  during 
which  decomposition  of  the  contents  of  the  stomach 
seems  to  take  place,  and  poisons  are  formed  that  kill 
the  animal  very  quickly  by  stopping  the  action  of  the 
heart.  In  such  cases,  the  animals  usually  show  signs 
of  muscular  weakness,  a  dripping  of  saliva  from  the 
mouth,  and  great  debility.  They  often  lie  down  and  die 
with  scarcely  a  struggle.     Whenever  animals  are  to  be 


Poisoning  419 

turned  to  pasture,  or  when  there  is  any  violent  or  sudden 
change  of  food,  they  should  be  well  fed  and  watered 
before  the  change  is  made.  They  should  not  be  turned 
on  pastures  until  the  grasses  are  well  started,  so  that 
they  can  get  sufficient  food  without  eating  weeds  or 
other  plants  that  usually  start  early  and  that  may  be 
injurious.  Animals  that  are  in  poor  condition  are  more 
liable  to  die  from  eating  poisonous  weeds  than  those  in 
good  flesh. 

Among  the  common  plants  that  are  poisonous  under 
certain  conditions,  are  cockle -burs  {Xantliium) .  These 
are  poisonous  when  they  are  first  starting  in  the  spring, 
and  have  but  two  leaves.  Severe  losses  among  both 
hogs  and  cattle  are  caused  throughout  the  middle  west 
from  eating  this  weed.  The  leaves  of  the  wild  cherry 
(Prunus  serotina) ,  especially  w^hen  wilted,  are  also 
poisonous.  Tansy  is  poisonous,  although  animals  will 
seldom  eat  it  unless  starved  to  it;  so  are  the  roots 
and  young  sprouts  of  the  wild  parsnip,  or  cow -bane, 
jimpson  weed,  yarrow,  laurel,  buckeye,  nightshade,  lark- 
spur, sumac,  poison  ivy,  and  black  nightshade;  also, 
some  fungi  commonly  known  as  toadstools.  These 
fungi  include  the  "fly  amanita  "  and  "death-cup." 

The  symptoms  of  poisoning  usually  begin  within 
twenty -four  to  forty -eight  hours  after  the  animals  are 
turned  on  the  pasture  where  the  poisonous  plants  grow. 
The  symptoms  vary  with  the  condition  of  the  animal 
and  the  amount  of  the  poisonous  plants  eaten.  In 
general,  the  symptoms  may  be  divided  into  two  groups: 
(1)  The  first  are  marked  by  an  irritation  of  the  stomach 
and   bowels.      These  are   discharge    of   saliva    in  pigs, 


420  The    Care    of  Animals 

nausea  and  vomiting,  colicky  pains,  purging,  bloating, 
and  often  inflammation  of  the  bowels.  (2)  The  other 
group  of  symptoms  results  from  the  absorption  of 
some  poisonous  substance  that  seems  to  paralyze  the 
nerve  centers,  especially  those  that  control  the  beat- 
ing of  the  heart  and  the  breathing.  There  is  great 
depression  and  muscular  weakness  ;  the  animal,  if  able 
to  walk,  goes  with  a  staggering  gait  ;  it  usually  lies 
down  some  time  before  death,  and  often  dies  without  a 
a  struggle,  apparently  "tired  to  death."  There  is  often 
a  peculiar  vacant  stare  in  the  eyes,  and  sometimes 
delirium.  In  some  animals,  there  may  be  a  combination 
of  these  two  forms  of  poisoning. 

When  animals  die  from  poisoning  as  the  result  of 
irritation  of  the  bowels,  the  mucous  membrane  of  the 
stomach  and  small  intestine  is  always  congested  and 
red,  and  often  severely  inflamed ;  in  fact,  the  whole 
alimentary  canal  shows  evidence  of  irritation  in  being 
unusually  red  and  with  blood-vessels  prominent.  When 
death  is  due  to  some  poison  which  is  absorbed  and  acts 
upon  the  nerve -centers,  there  are  practically  no  abnor- 
mal conditions  to  be  found  after  death;  although  the 
muscle  of  the  heart  is  frequently  congested,  giving  it 
a  striped  appearance,  and  in  some  cases  there  may  be 
slight  irritation  of  the  bowels.  The  chemical  nature  of 
the  poisons  which  are  supposed  to  exist  in  plants  is  not 
well  known,  very  little  work  having  been  done  on 
them,  and  it  is  practically  impossible  to  isolate  them 
from  the  other  contents  of  the  stomach  in  an  ordinary 
chemical  examination. 

The  treatment  of  poisoning  must  depend  on  the  symp- 


Poisoning  421 

toms.  If  there  is  severe  irritation  of  the  bowels,  give  a 
purge  of  castor-  or  raw  linseed -oil,  to  remove  the  irrita- 
ting material,  and  follow  with  small  doses  of  laudanum, 
to  allay  the  irritation.  Gruels  and  warm  sweet  milk 
containing  beaten  raw  eggs  are  soothing  and  nourishing. 
To  animals  that  can  vomit,  an  emetic  of  mustard  and 
tepid  water  may  be  given.  In  cases  in  which  symptoms 
indicate  absorbed  poison,  and  the  animal  is  weak  and 
depressed,  stimulants  should  be  given,  together  with 
purgatives,  to  remove  poisonous  materials  not  already 
absorbed.  Dilute  alcohol  or  ammonia,  in  moderate 
doses,  should  be  given  frequently  until  danger  from 
collapse  is  past.  In  all  cases  of  poisoning  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  give  rectal  injections  of  warm  water,  to  stimu- 
late the  action  of  the  bowels  and  to  remove  their  con- 
tents. When  an  animal  is  cold  and  weak,  stimulants, 
such  as  Jamaica  ginger,  may  be  given  in  hot  water, 
and  the  animal  placed  in  warm  quarters  and  rubbed 
vigorously. 

POISONOUS   FOODS 

Under  certain  conditions,  some  common  foods  may 
be  poisonous  to  animals.  Sorghum,  especially  second 
growth,  may  cause  death  very  quickly  when  animals 
are  pastured  on  it;  in  some  instances  death  appears  to 
result  from  bloating;  in  other  cases  the  animals  die  in 
a  few  minutes,  without  the  formation  of  gas  in  the 
rumen.  Little  is  known  of  the  exact  nature  of  this 
poison,  or  of  adequate  treatment  for  it,  death  taking 
place  so  soon  that  there  has  been  practically  no  oppor- 
tunity for  investigation.     Should  the  animal  bloat,  it 


422 


The    Care   of  Animals 


should  be  tapped   at  once,  and  treated  as  in  ordinary 

eases  of  bloating. 

Cattle  are  sometimes  poisoned  from  eating  quantities 

of  flax  chaff.     They  are  often  fed  flax   straw  and  chaff 

with  good  results ;  but  fine  flax  chaff  should  not  be  fed 
alone  to  cattle  that  are  not  used  to  it; 
even  a  small  quantity  eaten  under  unfavor- 
able conditions  may  cause  acute  indigestion 
and  death.  It  should  always  be  mixed 
with  coarser  food,  and  but  little  given  at 
a  time. 

Ergotism  is  a  chronic  form  of  poison- 
ing resulting  from  the  eating  of  ergot.  It 
is  sometimes  serious  among  cattle.  Ergot 
is  a  fungus  that  attacks  certain  grasses, 
especially  rye  and  plants  known  as  "wild 
rye,"  causing  the  heads  to  have  abnormal 
grains.  This  is  commonly  called  "spurred 
rye."  Fig.  59.  When  ergot  is  eaten  in 
any  quantity,  it  causes  irritation  of  the 
bowels,  colics,  abortion  in  pregnant  fe- 
males, and  a  sloughing  of  the  extremities. 
Rye,  with  ergot  such  as  the  fcct  and  tail.     The  treatment 

at  a  (X  %).    The     .      ^  ^-  ^       . 

diseased    grains  IS  to  rcmovc  the  causc  auQ  givc  good  laxa- 

are  enlarged  and 

black.  tive  food. 


Fig. 


MOLDY    CORN 


In  the  corn-  growing  regions  of  the  West,  in  years 
when  the  corn  crop  is  poor  and  the  ears  are  small  and 
damaged  by  the  green  corn -worm,  the  ear,  especially 


Moldy    Com  423 

toward  the  tip,  is  attacked  by  mold  which  forms  a 
felt -like  growth.  The  feeding  of  this  corn  to  horses, 
either  as  a  grain  ration  or  as  corn -fodder,  during  the 
fall  and  winter,  frequently  causes  heavy  losses  from  a 
disease  commonly  known  as  "staggers,"  or  "mad 
staggers,"  because  of  the  prominent  symptoms. 

The  symptoms  are  those  of  a  brain  disease.  The 
animal  appears  to  be  blind  and  only  partially  conscious; 
there  is  often  a  tendency  to  turn  in  a  circle  to  the  right 
or  left,  with  a  staggering  or  straddling  gait.  There  is 
usually  trembling  of  the  muscles.  As  the  disease  pro- 
gresses, the  animal  becomes  delirious  and  easily  excited. 
In  many  cases  the  patient  will  stand  with  the  head  or 
breast  against  a  wall  or  manger,  and  push.  When  badly 
affected,  animals  often  will  eat  apparently  from  force  of 
habit,  not  because  they  are  hungry.  In  some  cases  they 
die  in  a  few  hours  after  they  are  first  noticed  to  be 
ailing.  Most  of  them  die  within  a  few  days;  a  few  live 
a  week,  rarely  longer.  In  a  few  instances  the  spinal  cord 
is  diseased,  while  the  brain  remains  nearly  normal.  In 
these  cases  there  is  inability  to  control  the  muscles,  or 
the  animal  may  be  unusually  sensitive,  the  least  irrita- 
tion of  the  skin,  even  touching  the  animal,  often 
causing  it  to  kick  violently.  Care  should  be  exercised 
in  handling  a  horse  to  avoid  injury,  as  the  animal  is 
irresponsible  and  often  in  a  delirious  frenzy.  Mules 
are  rarely  affected  by  this  disease. 

In  some  cases  bunches  of  horses  do  not  begin  to  die 
until  a  month  after  being  turned  into  the  stalk  fields; 
and  they  may  contract  the  disease  in  a  week,  or  even 
ten  days,  after  the  moldy  corn  has  been  withheld. 


424  The    Care    of  Animals 

If  the  spinal  cord  only  is  affected  the  animal  fre- 
quently recovers.  Laxative  food  should  be  provided,  and 
iodide  of  potash  in  one -dram  doses  dissolved  in  water 
may  be  given  once  daily  for  three  or  four  days.  When 
the  brain  is  the  seat  of  the  disease,  practically  all 
cases  die,  and  all  methods  of  treatment  so  far  have 
proved  of  no  value.  The  animal  should  be  placed  where 
it  will  be  comfortable,  and  cannot  injure  itself  or  other 
animals,  and  supplied  with  soft  laxative  food,  such  as 
thin  bran  mashes.  The  only  treatment  is  preventive,  by 
avoiding  the  wormy,  moldy  corn. 

When  it  is  necessary  to  feed  such  corn,  it  should  be 
shelled  and  poured  into  a  tub  of  water;  the  diseased 
kernels  will  float  and  can  be  skimmed  off.  Cattle  and 
hogs  do  not  seem  to  be  injured  by  eating  moldy  corn. 

MOLDY    SILAGE 

In  the  spring,  when  the  weather  becomes  warm,  silage 
is  likely  to  spoil  unless  it  is  in  a  silo  of  small  diameter, 
so  that  it  can  be  fed  out  rapidly.  When  a  silo  is  first 
opened  there  is  some  silage  on  or  near  the  surface  which 
has  spoiled.  This  silage  should  not  be  fed,  as  it  may 
cause  fatal  poisoning. 

In  cows  there  is  loss  of  appetite,  constipation  and 
weakness,  followed  later  by  profuse  diarrhea  and  strain- 
ing, then  delirium  and  death.  There  is  labored  breath- 
ing, due  to  the  filling  of  the  lung  tissue  with  gas. 

In  horses  there  is  weakness,  trembling  of  the  volun- 
tary muscles,  difficulty  in  eating  and  swallowing, 
delirium,  and,  in  most  cases,  death. 


Moldy    Foods  425 

In  the  early  stages  give  mild  purgatives  of  three- 
fourths  pound  of  Epsom  salts,  and  (for  a  horse)  a 
quart  of  raw  linseed -oil,  followed  in  both  cases  with 
stimulants,  as  three  to  six  ounces  of  whiskc}^  in  water. 
When  delirium  or  excitement  begins  to  show,  give 
bromide  of  potash  in  half-ounce  doses,  repeated  every 
four  hours.  Laudanum  may  also  be  given  in  one-  to 
two -ounce  doses. 

MOLDY  OATS,  HAY  AND  FORAGE 

When  fed  to  horses  and  mules,  moldy  oats  and  hay 
and  forage  are  likely  to  cause  the  same  trouble  as 
described  above  under  moldy  corn.  The  disease  is 
called  cerebro- spinal  meningitis,  cerebritis,  "mad  stag- 
gers," or  simply  "staggers."  The  cause  of  the  trouble 
should  be  sought  and  removed.  The  treatment  is  the 
same  as  for  moldy  corn  poisoning. 

Treatment  for  poisoning  by  forage  of  various  kinds 
is  not  satisfactor3' ,  as  it  is  difficult  to  relieve  the  animal 
of  the  injurious  food,  even  if  it  has  not  already  been  ab- 
sorbed. The  only  treatment  is  to  give  medicine  accord- 
ing to  the  symptoms,  since,  for  most  of  the  poisons  of 
this  class,  there  are  no  known  antidotes. 

INJURY    FROM   COTTON -SEED    MEAL 

Cotton -seed  meal  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  the 
concentrated  feeds.  It  is  rich  in  protein  and  is  easily 
digested,  but  if  fed  to  cattle  in  too  large  quantities, 
and  long  continued,    it  is  likely  to  induce  a  disease  of 


426  The    Care    of  Animals 

the  nervous  system,  which  is  shown  by  a  peculiar  vacant 
stare  in  the  eyes  and  twitching  or  trembling  of  the 
voluntary  muscles.  The  disease  comes  on  gradually 
and  seldom  causes  any  loss,  as  it  can  be  remedied  by 
withholding  the  cotton -seed  meal.  In  fattening  cattle 
for  the  market  on  cotton -seed  meal,  it  is  seldom  advis- 
able to  full -feed  them  for  more  than  one  hundred  days. 
The  symptoms  described  may  appear  after  the  animals 
have  been  on  full  feed  for  seventy -five  days. 

When  swine  are  fed  large  quantities  of  cotton -seed 
meal  there  sometimes  results  a  severe  irritation  of  the 
bowels,  which  in  some  respects  resembles  hog  cholera, 
and  may  cause  death.  There  maj'  also  be  indigestion 
and  heart  failure.  kSwIuc  sometimes  die  from  an  excess 
of  cotton -seed  meal  when  following  cattle  in  the  feed 
yards. 

DIRTY   HAY 

Hay  that  is  grown  on  river-bottoms  that  are  subject 
to  overflow  sometimes  contains  a  large  amount  of  sand 
and  other  dirt.  When  such  hay  is  fed  it  maj'  set  up 
severe  diarrhea,  due  to  irritation  of  the  bowels.  The 
treatment  is  to  remove  the  cause.  Dirtj^  or  musty  hay 
should  not  be  fed  to  horses  on  account  of  the  danger 
of  digestion  troubles,  and  its  tendency  to  cause  heaves. 

LEAD    POISONING    IN    CATTLE 

Lead  poisoning  in  cattle  is  rather  common,  and 
arises  in  most  cases  from  licking  paint  from  boards, 
drinking  water  from  paint  cans  or  kegs  or  from  lead- 


Poisoning  427 

lined  receptacles.  The  symptoms  are  weakness,  prostra- 
tion and  purging.  Treatment  is  not  satisfactory.  Stimu- 
lants are  given  to  overcome  the  weakness,  and  after  the 
bowels  are  well  emptied  they  are  quieted  by  laudanum 
(in  two -ounce  doses  for  adult  cattle). 

OTHER    POISONS 

Various  materials  that  contain  poisons  are  often 
eaten  by  cattle  with  serious  results.  Fatal  cases  are  re- 
ported from  bags  that  had  contained  nitrate  of  soda  be- 
ing chewed  by  cattle.  Utensils  containing  Paris  green 
are  often  left  where  cattle  can  drink  the  water  that 
they  mav  collect.  In  all  cases  of  poisoning,  all  sources 
of  possible  injury  should  be  carefully  considered  before 
malicious  poisoning  is  suspected. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

RECIPES  AND  BRIEF  ADVICE 

No  printed  page  can  take  the  place  of  experience  and 
good  judgment ;  yet  it  is  possible  to  present  in  brief 
space  the  general  average  of  conclusions  reached  by 
many  persons  in  many  years.  Such  brief  advice  is  here 
attempted,  as  a  kind  of  ready  reference.  Whenever  in 
doubt,  consult  a  skilled  veterinarian.  If  animals  are 
worth  growing  at  all,  they  are  worth  the  advice  of 
a  man  that  kMOws. 

DOSES    OP    MEDICINE 

In  giving  medicine  to  animals,  especially  if  the  per- 
son is  not  familiar  with  the  action  of  the  drug,  it  is 
best  to  give  small  doses  and  repeat  frequently  until  the 
desired  effect  is  produced,  rather  than  to  give  large 
doses. 

The  doses  described  in  this  chapter  are  for  adult  ani- 
mals. The  age,  size  and  temperament  of  the  animal  is 
always  to  be  taken  into  consideration.  Ruminants  with 
compound  stomachs,  as  cattle  and  sheep,  can  take  much 
more  medicine,  in  proportion  to  their  size,  than  animals 
with  simple  stomachs.  As  a  rule,  a  cow  will  take  about 
half  as  much  again  as  a  horse.  Sheep  will  take  about 
one -third  as  much  as  a  horse.     The  dose  for  a  good- 

(428) 


Doses    of  Medicine  429 

sized  dog  is  approximately  that  for  a  man.  Puppies 
must  not  be  given  large  doses,  especially  if  they  belong 
to  the  small  breeds.  Colts  one  year  old  take  about 
one -third  the  dose  of  an  adult  horse  ;  at  two  years  old, 
about  one -half  the  dose.  The  same  ratio  will  hold  with 
regard  to  young  cattle. 

Medicines  should  always  be  well  diluted,  to  prevent 
injury  to  the  animal.  In  the  use  of  medicines,  two 
sj^stems  of  measurement  are  employed.  For  solid  sub- 
stances apothecaries'  weight  is  used,  the  following  table 
giving  the  weight  and  symbols: 

Symbol 

1  grain      gr. 

20  grains  =  1  scruple 9 

3  scruples  =  1  dram  (or  drachm) 5 

8  drams  =  1  ounce J 

12  ounces  =1  pound     .    .  ........  lb. 

The  scruple  is  not  often  used  at  present  in  weighing 
medicines. 

For  fluid  substances  the  following  measures  of 
capacity  are  used  : 

1  minim m. 

60  minims  =  1  fluid  dram f5 

8  fluid  drams  =1  fluid  ounce f^ 

16  fluid  ounces  =  1  pint O. 

2  pints  =  1  quart Qt. 

4  quarts  =1  gallon C. 

In  writing  a  prescription,  if  a  fluid  dram  or  ounce  is 
intended,  the  letter/  is  placed  before  the  symbol.  To 
indicate  the  number  of  measures  to  be  taken  the  letter 


430  The    Care    of  Animals 

i  or  j  is  placed  after  the  symbol,  one  for  each  measure 
to  be  used.     Three  ounces  would  be  written  Siij. 

A  minim  is  about  equal  to  a  drop,  depending,  of 
course,  on  the  fluidity  of  the  drug  and  its  manner  of 
dropping.  A  drop  may  also  be  estimated  to  equal  one 
grain.  A  teaspoon  holds  about  a  fluid  dram,  a  dessert 
spoon  about  two  drams,  and  a  tablespoon  half  a  fluid 
ounce.  A  good -sized  tumbler  holds  about  half  a  pint, 
or  eight  ounces.  Teacups  hold  from  six  to  eight 
ounces. 

Acetic  Acid  (see  Vinegar).  Pure  acetic  acid  is  used 
to  remove  warts.     Soak  warts  well  with  it. 

Aconite  Tincture.  Horses,  10  to  20  drops  ;  cattle, 
20  to  30  drops  ;  sheep,  10  drops  ;  dogs  and  pigs,  1  to  5 
drops.  Good  for  fevers  and  inflammations,  but  should 
not  be  given  when  heart  action  is  weak.  Applied 
externally,  it  relieves  pain,  but  should  be  used  in  small 
amounts.     Poisonous. 

Alcohol,  Whiskey,  Brandy.  Doses  from  1  dram  to 
4  ounces,  depending  on  size  and  age.  Should  be  largely 
diluted  with  water.  Good  for  chills,  depression  and 
collapse,  or  when  the  animal   is  very  weak. 

Aloes.  Horses,  5  to  8  drams;  cattle,  1  to  1%  ounces. 
Give  as  a  ball.  In  small  doses,  1  dram,  it  is  a  bitter 
tonic  for  horses  and  cattle. 

Alum.  Horses,  1  dram  ;  cattle,  3  drams  ;  sheep, 
X  dram;  pigs,  %  dram.  Used  for  diarrhea.  In  solu- 
tion, used  for  sore  mouth. 

Alum,  Burnt.     Dusted  on  old  sores  and  proud  flesh. 

Ammonia  Water.  Horses,  X  ounce  ;  cattle,  1  ounce; 
sheep,  2  drams  ;   pigs  and  dogs,  X  to  1  dram.     Dilute 


Medicines  431 

with  water.  Good  in  indigestion,  colic,  bloating  and 
as  a  stimulant.     Externally,  used  in  liniments. 

Arnica  Tincture.  Horses,  X  to  1  ounce  ;  cattle,  1 
ounce  ;  sheep,  2  drams  ;  pigs,  %  dram.  Causes  sweat- 
ings and  lessens  fever.  Externally,  mildly  stimulating 
to  skin. 

Arsenic  (Fowler's  Solution).  Horses,  2  to  4  drams; 
cattle,  4  to  6  drams  ;  sheep  and  pigs,  5  to  20  drops  ; 
dogs,  1  to  5  drops.  Given  as  a  tonic  in  chronic  diseases 
and  in  heaves.     Give  in  food,  or  after  eating. 

Asafcetida,  Gum.  Horses,  2  drams;  cattle,  4  drams; 
sheep,  1  dram.     Give  in  a  ball. 

Asafcetida,  Tincture.  Horses,  2  ounces  ;  cattle,  8 
to  4  ounces;  sheep,  %  ounce;  pigs  and  dogs,  1  to  2 
drams.  Good  for  colic,  indigestion,  constipation  and 
worms. 

Belladonna,  Fluid  Extract.  Horses,  %  dram;  cattle, 
1  dram  ;  sheep,  20  drops  ;  pigs,  3  drops  ;  dogs,  X  to  3 
drops.  Good  in  fevers,  cramp  colic,  tetanus  and  caked 
bag.     Do  not  repeat  doses  frequently. 

Blue  Stone  (Sulfate  of  Copper).  Antiseptic  astrin- 
gent and  mild  caustic.  Used  externally  on  wounds, 
either  dusted  on  or  in  solution,  1  ounce  to  1  pint  of 
water,  or  stronger  if  necessary. 

Boric  Acid.  Non- poisonous  antiseptic.  Used  for 
sore  mouth,  sore  eyes,  roup  and  to  inject  into  udder. 
Used  in  solution,  20  grains  to  1  ounce  of  water. 

Butter  of  Antimony.  Used  pure  on  swab  as  a  caus- 
tic, to  burn  out  proud  flesh,  old  sores  and  fistulse.  Not 
used  internally. 

Calomel.    Horses,  %to  1  dram;  cattle,  1  to  2  drams; 


432  The    Care    of  Animals 

sheep  and  pigs,  5  to  20  grains.  General  purgative,  and 
used  to  expel  worms.  Externally,  dusted  in  old  sores 
to  dry  up  and  heal  them. 

Camphor.     See  Spirits  of  Camphor - 

Cantharides.     See  Spanish  Flies. 

Carbolic  Acid.  Used  as  antiseptic  to  hasten  healing 
of  wounds  and  sores;  also  as  disinfectant.  Dissolve  1 
part  of  acid  in  30  parts  of  water.     Poisonous. 

Castor-oil.  Horses,  1  to  2  pints;  sheep,  4  ounces  ; 
pigs,  2  ounces  ;  calves,  2  to  4  ounces.  An  excellent 
purgative.  Small  doses,  combined  with  laudanum,  ex- 
cellent for  scours. 

Charcoal.  Finely  pulverized  is  used  in  condition 
powders  and  dusted  on  wounds.  Hogs  like  charcoal 
to  eat. 

Chloroform.  Given  by  inhalation  to  produce  anaBs- 
thesia.  Must  be  given  dogs  very  carefully  or  it  will 
kill  them.  For  colic  in  horses,  1  dram  given  with 
laudanum  is  excellent. 

Copperas  (Sulfate  of  Iron).  Horses,  1  dram  ;  cattle, 
2  drams  ;  sheep,  20  grains  ;  pigs,  10  grains.  Excellent 
tonic  in  debilitated  conditions  and  diarrhea.  Useful 
in  condition  powders. 

Corrosive  Sublimate  (Mercury  Bichloride).  Used 
externally  as  antiseptic  and  disinfectant.  Dissolve  1 
part  in  1,000  parts  water.  As  a  caustic,  ]  part  corro- 
sive sublimate  dissolved  in  50  parts  alcohol  and  add  50 
parts  water.    Used  to  swab  out  fistulaB.    Very  poisonous. 

Creolin.  Antiseptic,  disinfectant  and  valuable  to 
destroy  parasites.  Used  in  solution.  1  part  Creolin  to 
100  parts  water. 


Medicines  433 

Epsom  Salts.  Purgative  for  cattle  and  sheep. 
Cattle  take  1  to  1%  pounds;  sheep,  2  to  4  ounces,  dis- 
solved in  warm  water. 

Ether,  Sulfuric.  Given  by  inhalation  to  produce 
anaesthesia.  For  colic  in  horses,  1  dram  given  with 
laudanum  is  excellent. 

Fowler's  Solution.     See  Arsenic. 

Gentian  Root,  Powdered.  Horses,  2  drams  ;  cattle, 
4  drams  ;  sheep,  1  dram.  Bitter  tonic  used  in  condition 
powders. 

Ginger.  Horses,  %  ounce  ;  cattle,  1  ounce  ;  sheep, 
2  drams  ;  pigs,  1  dram.  Good  in  flatulent  colic  and 
as  a  tonic. 

Glauber'.s  Salts.  Cattle,  1  to  iX  pounds  at  dose  ; 
sheep,  2  to  4  ounces.  Dissolve  in  water  and  give  as 
a  drench.     An  excellent  purgative  for  ruminants. 

Glycerin.  Two  to  4  ounces  in  water  makes  an  ex- 
cellent enema  (injection).  Externally,  softens  and 
soothes    irritated    parts. 

Iodine  Tincture.  Used  externally  to  kill  ring -worm 
and  to  reduce  enlarged  glands,  wind -puffs,  etc.  Should 
be  painted  on  once  daily  until  part  begins  to  get  sore. 
Inject  into  old  sores  and  fistulas  once  in  eight  days. 

'Jamaica  Ginger.  Horses,  1  ounce;  cattle,  2  ounces; 
sheep,  %  ounce  ;  calves  and  foals,  X  ounce.  Give  in 
milk.     Good  for  diarrhea  and  as  a  stimulant. 

Kerosene.  Internallj',  good  for  stomach  worms. 
Give  lambs  1  to  2  drams  in  sweet -oil.  Externally,  is 
mildly  irritant.     Rub  it  in  well. 

Lard.  Used  fresh  to  rub  on  irritated  skin,  softens 
and  soothes.     Internally,  given  as  a  purgative  to  small 

BB 


434  The    Care    of  Animals 

animals.  Melt  and  give  from  1  to  8  ounces,  according 
to  size. 

Laudanum.  Horses,  1  ounce;  cattle,  1  to  2  ounces; 
sheep,  2  drams  ;  dogs  and  pigs,  5  to  20  drops.  Re- 
lieves pain,  colic  and  diarrhea.  Externally,  relieves 
pain. 

Lime  Water.  Made  by  slaking  fresh  lime,  allowing 
it  to  settle  and  using  the  clear  water.  Useful  in  diar- 
rhea of  young  animals.  Dilute  their  milk  one -third 
with  lime  water.  Finely  pulverized  air -slaked  lime  is 
good  to  dry  up  sores  by  being  dusted  on. 

Linseed -oil,  Raw.  Horses,  1  to  2  pints;  cattle,  2 
to  3  pints;  sheep,  %  pint;  calves,  4  to  8  ounces;  lambs, 
2  ounces;  dogs,  %  to  2  ounces.  Purgative  and  soothing. 
Do  not  choke  animal  in  giving.  Externally,  1  part 
carbolic  acid  to  25  parts  oil,  for  sci-atches  in  horses. 

Mercury.     See  Corrosive  Stiblimate  and  Calomel. 

Mustard.  A  heaping  teaspoonful  in  4  to  6  ounces  of 
warm  water  is  an  excellent  emetic  for  dogs  and  pigs. 
Mixed  with  warm  water  to  a  paste  and  applied  to  skin, 
it  blisters.     Used  as  a  blister  in  lung  diseases. 

Niter.     See  Sweet  Spirits  of  Niter. 

Nux  Vomica  (Powdered  Seed).  Horses,  X  to  1 
dram  ;  cattle,  2  drams  ;  sheep,  20  grains  ;  pigs,  10 
grains.  Used  in  paralysis  or  weak,  debilitated  condi- 
tion. Useful  in  condition  powders.  The  active  prin- 
ciple is  strychnine,  and  when  twitching  of  muscles 
occurs  medicine  must  be  stopped.     Poisonous. 

Oak -bark  Decoction.  Boil  1  ounce  of  bark  in  1 
pint  of  water.  Colts  and  calves,  1  to  2  ounces  ;  lambs, 
X  ounce.    Give  in  milk.    Can  double  dose,  if  necessary. 


Medicines  435 

Good  for  diarrhea.  Externally,  dries  up  sores  and 
toughens  skin. 

Peppermint  Essence.  Horses,  20  drops  ;  cattle,  30 
drops  ;  sheep,  10  drops  ;  pigs,  5  drops  ;  dogs,  2  to  5 
drops.  Good  in  indigestion  and  colic.  Give  in  sweet- 
ened hot  water. 

Quinine.  Horses,  %  to  1  dram;  cattle,  2  to  4  drams; 
sheep,  X  dram  ;  pigs,  10  grains  ;  dogs,  1  to  5  grains. 
Reduces  fever.  Stimulates,  and  in  small  doses  is  bitter 
tonic. 

Salts.     See  Epsom  and  Glauber^ s  Salts. 

Salt,  Common.  Useful  as  food  in  small  quantities. 
Solution  of  1  ounce  salt  to  1  pint  water  is  good  for 
sores  and  wounds.  Give  all  animals  a  little  salt  in 
food. 

Saltpeter  (Nitrate  of  Potash).  Horses,  1  ounce; 
cattle,  1  to  1%  ounces  ;  sheep,  2  drams.  Reduces  fevers 
and  dropsical  swellings.  Stimulates  the  kidnej's.  Ex- 
ternally, dissolved  in  water,  is  cooling  lotion. 

Soda  Bicarbonate  (Baking  Soda).  Horses,  1  ounce; 
cattle,  2  ounces  ;  sheep,  %  ounce  ;  pigs,  2  drams. 
Useful  for  indigestion.     Give  before  feeding. 

Spanish  Flies  (Cantharides).  Pulverized  and  mixed 
with  6  to  8  parts  of  lard  is  used  as  a  blister.  Not  given 
internally. 

Spirits  of  Camphor.  Horses,  2  to  4  drams  ;  cattle, 
1  ounce  ;  sheep,  2  drams  ;  dogs  and  pigs,  10  drops  to 
X  dram.  Give  with  water.  Good  for  colic,  diarrhea, 
coughs,  and  to  lessen  pain.  Checks  milk  secretion. 
Externallj^,  good  to  relieve  pain  and  sprains. 

Sugar  of  Lead.     Used  externally  to  heal  sores  and 


436  The    Care    of  Animals 

wounds.     Dissolve  1  ounce  in  1%  pints  water.     Used 
in  white  lotion  as  follows  : 

Sugar  of  lead 1  ounce 

White  vitriol 6  drams 

Water 1  pint 

Shake  well  before  using. 

Sulfate  of  Copper  and  Iron.  See  Blue  Stone  and 
Copperas. 

Sulfur.  Cattle  and  horses,  %  ounce  ;  sheep,  1  dram; 
pigs,  20  grains.  Dusted  in  hair  useful  against  lice  and 
mites.  Not  often  used  internally.  Ointment,  1  part 
sulfur  to  6  parts  lard,  good  for  lice.  Sulfur  is  often 
burned  in  closed  empty  room  to  disinfect.  Set  vessel 
containing  burning  sulfur  in  a  larger  vessel  filled  with 
water,  to  prevent  danger  from  fire. 

Sweet  Spirits  of  Niter.  Horses,  1  to  2  ounces  ; 
cattle,  2  to  3  ounces  ;  dogs  and  pigs,  %  to  2  drams. 
Give  in  water.  Stimulant,  and  acts  on  kidneys.  Good 
in  cramp  colic,  and  in  small  doses  reduces  fever. 

Tincture  Chloride  of  Iron.  Used  for  sore  mouth 
and  sore  throat.  Use  %  ounce  tincture  of  iron  to  8 
ounces  of  water. 

Tobacco.  Not  given  internally.  Externally,  a  decoc- 
tion is  good  for  mites  and  lice.     Use  it  weak. 

Turpentine.  Horses,  %  to  2  ounces  ;  cattle,  2  to  3 
ounces;  sheep,  1  to  3  drams;  pigs,  1  dram;  dogs,  5  to 
30  drops.  Give  in  oil,  gruel  or  milk.  Good  for  colic, 
bloating  and  intestinal  worms.  Stimulates  the  kidneys. 
Externally  it  is  an  irritant.     Used  in  liniments. 

Vaseline.  Softens  and  sooths  parts.  Used  as  a 
base  for  ointments, 


Medicines  487 

Vinegar.  Used  externally  as  a  cooling,  stimulating 
lotion.  Can  be  used  hot.  Internally,  in  small  doses 
diluted  with  water,  for  cooling  fevers. 

Whiskey.     See  Alcohol. 

COMMON    PRESCRIPTIONS 

Absorbing  Ointment 

Crystals  of  iodine X  dram 

Iodide  of  potash %  dram 

Lard 1  ounce 

Mix  them  thoroughly  into  an  ointment.  This  is  ex- 
cellent for  removing  enlargements.  It  is  to  be  rubbed 
in  well  once  daily  until  the  part  begins  to  get  sore;  then 
withhold  for  a  day  or  two,  and  repeat. 

Colic  Mixture 

Laudanum      4  ounces 

Aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia 3  ounces 

Sulfuric  ether %  ounce 

Essence  of  Jamaica  ginger 4  ounces 

Add  water  to  make  a  pint. 

From  two  to  three  ounces  of  this  can  be  given  in  a 
teacupful  of  hot  water.  The  second  dose  can  be  given 
in  one -half  hour  to  one  hour,  and  repeated  an  hour 
later.  Always  dilute  the  medicine  with  water,  not 
enough  to  scald  the  animal. 

Fly  Blister 

Gum  camphor X  ounce 

Cantharides 2  drams 

Lard 2  ounces 


438  The    Care    of  Animals 

The  camphor  and  cantharides  are  to  be  pulverized 
and  mixed  with  the  lard.  The  blister  is  to  be  well 
rubbed  in  for  four  to  ten  minutes,  depending  on  the 
severity  of  the  blister  required. 

Red  Blister 

Gum  camphor %  ounce 

Biniodide  of  mercury 2  drams 

Lard 2  ounces 

Pulverize  and  mix  well.     Rub  in  from  four  to  eight 

minutes. 

Cough  Mixture 

Fluid  extract  of  belladonna %  ounce 

Pulverized  opium %  ounce 

Gum  camphor,  pulverized 2  drams 

Ammonia  chloride %  ounce 

Add  molasses  and  flour  to  make  eight  ounces  of 
paste.  With  a  small  wooden  paddle  daub  a  teaspoonful 
on  the  back  teeth  three  or  four  times  daily. 

Drying  Powder.     Healing  Powder 

Air- slaked  lime,  finely  pulverized 12  parts 

Tannic  acid,  pulverized 1  part 

This  is  excellent  for  summer  sores,  galls,  and  any 
raw  surface.     The  powder  is  to  be  dusted  on  frequently. 

Soothing  Lotion 

Laudanum 2  ounces 

Aconite  tincture 1  ounce 

Soap  liniment 5  ounces 

This    liniment  is    to    relieve    pain  and    soreness    in 


Medicines  439 

part  where  there  is  much   inflammation.      It  will  not 
blister.     It  is  good  for  sprains,  etc. 

Liniment 

Aqua  ammonia 1  ounce 

Turpentine 1  ounce 

Linseed -oil 6  ounces 

Mix  and  applj^  by  rubbing.  The  bottle  should  be 
kept  well  corked.  If  a  stronger  liniment  is  desired,  a 
little  more  turpentine  and  ammonia  may  be  added.  This 
will  blister  if  used  freely  and  rubbed  in,  especially  if  it 
is  covered  to  prevent  evaporation. 

Liniment 

Dissolve  one -half  ounce  of  gum  camphor  in  eight 
ounces  of  alcohol,  add  one  dram  of  oil  of  sassafras,  then 
add  eight  ounces  of  concentrated  aqua  ammonia.  Keep 
in  a  bottle  with  a  glass  or  rubber  stopper.  This  is  an 
excellent  liniment  and  will  blister  if  used  freely. 

White  Lotion 

Zinc  sulfate  (white  vitriol) 6  drams 

Lead  acetate  (sugar  of  lead) 1  ounce 

Water 1  pint 

Shake  well  before  using. 

White  lotion  is  used  extensively  for  wounds,  sores, 
scratches,  summer  sores  and  fistulae.  It  can  be  applied 
three  times  daily. 

Ointment,  Oxide  of  Zinc 

Oxide  of  zinc 1  ounce 

Benzoated  lard 4  ounces 


440  The    Care   of  Animals 

Mix  well  together.  Used  externally  for  dry,  angry- 
looking  sores.     An  excellent  healing  ointment. 

Purging  Ball 

Pulverized  aloes,  from  five  to  eight  drams,  according 
to  size  of  horse.  Mix  it  with  molasses  and  add  pul- 
verized ginger  root  to  make  a  stiff  dough,  wrap  it  in 
oiled  tissue  paper  and  give  as  a  ball.  The  horse  should 
have  bran  mashes  for  two  or  three  meals  previously  to 
giving  this  ball.  Aloes  is  also  used  as  a  tonic  medi- 
cine (see  page  430). 


Abortion.  Burn  or  bury  deep  the  foetal  calf  and 
membranes.  Clean  and  disinfect  the  stall,  and  isolate 
the  cow  from  other  pregnant  cows.  Wash  out  the 
uterus  and  vagina  with  a  solution  of  one  part  of  creolin 
to  100  parts  of  water  as  long  as  there  is  any  discharge. 
Do  not  breed  healthy  cows  to  infected  bulls.     Page  374. 

Abscesses.  Poultice  the  part,  or  bathe  with  hot 
water,  until  pus  can  be  detected  ;  then  open  at  the  most 
dependent  part,  to  give  free  drainage.  Wash  out  with 
warm  water  and  use  antiseptics,  such  as  one  part  of 
carbolic  acid  in  30  parts  of  water.  Inject  once  daily, 
keep  the  part  clean  and  the  hair  greased  below  the 
wound.     Page  166. 

Afterbirth  ( retained ) .  Wind  the  free  part  on  a 
stick,  oil  or  soap  the  hand  and  arm,  and,  holding  the 

*For  lists  of  diseases  of  the  various  animals,  see  Index. 


Brief  Advice  441 

stick  in  the  left  hand,  insert  the  right  hand  into  the 
uterus,  loosen  the  afterbirth  with  the  fingers  and 
remove.     Page  206. 

Anthrax.  Isolate  and  vaccinate  healthy  animals. 
Burn  dead  animals  or  bury  them  deep,  and  disinfect 
thoroughly.  There  is  no  medicinal  treatment.  Quar- 
antine against  the  disease,  and  exercise  care  that 
persons    do    not   become    infected.     Page  360. 

Black-leg.  Remove  the  well  animals  from  the  in- 
fected quarters  or  pasture  and  vaccinate  them.  Purge 
the  sick  and  give  them  exercise.  Stimulants  and 
laxative   foods    should   be  given.     Page    362. 

Bloating  in  Cattle.  If  very  bad,  tap  at  once.  Put 
gag  in  mouth  and  give  salt.  Dash  cold  water  on  body, 
and  blanket.  Give  turpentine  in  two -ounce  doses  in 
milk  as  a  drench,  baking  soda  in  two -ounce  doses,  or 
a  dose  of  salts,  about  one  pound  for  an  adult.  Page 
260. 

Bog  Spavin.  Apply  iodine  as  tincture  or  ointment, 
or  an  absorbing  ointment,  until  parts  get  sore,  then 
withhold.  Put  pressure  on  part  by  truss  or  bandage. 
Hand -rubbing  is  good.     Page  238. 

Bone  Spavin.  A  high -heeled  shoe  on  affected  leg, 
lower  on  the  inside.  Blister  the  spavin  and  give  rest. 
If  a  bad  case,  fire  and  blister.     Page  227. 

Bronchitis.  Comfortable  quarters,  with  plenty  of 
fresh  air.  Clothe  the  body  warmly.  Give  sweet  spirits 
of  niter  in  ounce  doses  in  early  stages  ;  later  give  aco- 
nite in  fifteen -drop  doses  and  belladonna  in  thirty -drop 
doses,  alternating  every  two  hours.  Be  careful,  in 
drenching,  not  to  get  medicine  into  lungs.     Page  280. 


442  The    Care    of  Animals 

Bunches,  or  Enlargements.  Treat  as  bog  spavin. 
Light  blisters  are  also  good.     Page  226. 

Burns  and  Scalds.  A  stroug  solution  of  baking 
soda,  to  relieve  the  pain.  One  part  of  carbolic  acid 
to  fifty  parts  of  linseed -oil  or  vaseline. 

Caked  Udder.  Bathe  in  hot  water,  wipe  dry,  and 
rub  in  an  ointment  of  one  part  of  gum  camphor  dis- 
solved in  eight  parts  of  melted  lard.  Support  udder 
with  suspensory.  Give  saltpeter  internally  in  one-ounce 
doses  twice  daily  for  three  days.     Page  210. 

Choking.  Work  obstacle  up,  if  possible  ;  if  not, 
work  it  down  by  manipulating  from  outside.  A  gag 
in  the  mouth  of  cattle,  with  salt  on  back  of  tongue,  is 
good.  Push  obstacle  down  with  probang,  or  with 
rubber  hose  with  a  rope  drawn  through  to  stiffen  it. 
As  a  last  resort,  cut  in  and  take  it  out.     Page  255. 

Colic.  Allow  the  horse  to  roll,  but  prevent  his  in- 
juring himself.  Give  colic  remedy  or  baking  soda  in 
tablespoonful  doses  in  hot  water  as  a  drench.  Essence 
of  peppermint  in  tablespoonful  doses,  or  essence  of 
Jamaica  ginger  in  two-ounce  doses,  or  laudanum  in  one- 
ounce  doses,  all  to  be  given  in  hot  water.  Examine  the 
diet  for  the  cause.     Page  266. 

Constipation.  Give  a  dose  of  castor-oil,  to  small 
animals  from  one -half  to  two  ounces.  For  large  ani- 
mals, give  from  one  to  two  quarts  of  raw  linseed -oil. 
Follow  this  with  laxative  food  and  moderate  exercise. 
Look  for  the  cause  of  the  difficulty.     Page  275. 

Corns.  If  there  is  "matter,"  open,  wash  out  with 
antiseptics  and  keep  clean.  Relieve  the  pressure  on  the 
part  and  protect  with  a  bar  shoe.     Page  97. 


Brief  Advice  443 

Curb.  Put  on  a  high-heeled  shoe,  blister  lightly, 
and  repeat  in  four  weeks  if  necessary.  Give  the  horse 
rest.     Page  241. 

Drunk  on  Apples.  Give  cows  small  (%-poiind) 
doses  of  salts,  followed  by  stimulants.  Whiskey  in 
four -ounce  doses  with  hot  water,  aromatic  spirits  of 
ammonia  in  two -ounce  doses  in  water,  or  essence  of 
Jamaica  ginger  in  two -ounce  doses  in  hot  water. 

Eversion  of  Uterus.  Wash  off,  return  and  hold  in 
place  by  two  or  three  stitches  through  the  lips  of  the 
vulva.  Put  on  a  rope  truss,  to  help  hold  stitches. 
Give  laudanum  in  one -ounce  doses  to  stop  straining; 
also  tie  a  small  rope  around  body  in  front  of  hind  legs 
for  same  purpose.     Page  207. 

Farcy.     See  Glanders. 

Fleas.  Wash  animal  with  solution  of  one  part  cre- 
olin  to  fifty  parts  of  water,  or  use  tar  soap  with  warm 
soft  water,  and  leave  lather  on  for  ten  minutes  or  more. 
Insect  powder  is  good.     Page  318. 

Fouls  in  Cattle.  Clean  out  cleft  between  toes,  apply 
turpentine  and  dust  in  finely  pulverized  air -slaked  lime. 
If  fouls  is  of  long  standing  and  bad,  poultice  the  foot, 
clean  out  well,  cauterize  with  butter  of  antimony  applied 
with  a  swab,  and  dust  in  calomel.  Keep  feet  clean  and 
dry.     Page  303. 

Founder.     See  Laminitis. 

Fractures.  If  fracture  can  be  treated  and  the  animal 
is  worth  it,  put  on  splints  after  getting  the  bones  in 
proper  position.  Keep  the  animal  quiet  and  give  a 
variety  of  laxative  food.     Page  217. 

Galls.     Remove  the  cause  and  keep  the  parts  clean 


444  The    Care    of  Animals 

and  dry.  Wash  three  times  daily,  and  apply  white 
lotion;  then  dust  on  finely  pulverized  air -slaked  lime. 
Oxide  of  zinc  ointment  is  good. 

Glanders.  Isolate  the  horse  until  disease  is  diag- 
nosed, then  destroy  the  horse  and  bury  it  deep  or  burn. 
Disinfect  stables,  utensils  and  equipment.  Care  is  to 
be  exercised  not  to  contract  the  disease,  as  it  is  fatal 
to  man.     Page  356. 

Heaves.  Wet  the  food  and  give  easily  digested,  but 
not  bulky,  kinds.  Tonic  condition  powders.  Fowler's 
solution  of  arsenic  in  half -ounce  doses  in  the  food  once 
daily  for  ten  days.  Careful  feeding  and  dieting  give 
good  results.     Page  286. 

Hoven.     See  Bloating. 

Hydrophobia.     See  Rabies. 

Impaction  of  the  Rumen.  Give  small  doses  of  oil 
with  linseed  or  flour  gruel.  Small  doses  of  stimulants 
are  good.  As  a  last  resort,  cut  into  the  rumen  on  the 
left  side  and  remove  the  contents.  Close  up  the  rumen 
with  fine  stitches  of  catgut,  and  sew  up  the  muscles 
separately.  Give  only  milk  and  gruels  for  ten  days 
after  the  operation.     Page  259. 

Indigestion.  Give  a  mild  purgative  of  oil  or  salts, 
followed  by  small  doses  of  Jamaica  ginger  and  tonics. 
Feed  sparingly  with  laxative,  easily  digested  food.  Diet 
the  animal  for  a  time.  Look  for  the  cause  and  remove 
it.     Page  264. 

Inflammation  of  the  Bowels.  Give  a  dose  of 
castor-  or  raw  linseed -oil,  followed  by  laudanum  to 
quiet  the  pain.     Page  271. 

Inflammation  of  the  Eye.     Look  for  foreign  bodies. 


Brief  Advice  445 

lime  in  the  form  of  white -wash,  and  remove,  if  present. 
Bathe  with  warm  water  or  apply  cold  in  the  form  of 
cracked  ice.  Wash  out  the  eyes  with  a  solution  of  boric 
acid,  twenty  grains  to  the  ounce  of  water.     Page  308. 

Knuckling.  In  adult  horses,  remedy  by  shoeing. 
In  colts,  wrap  the  parts  with  soft  bandages  and  apply 
splints.     Most  colts  will  outgrow  it.     Page  235. 

Laminitis,  or  Founder.  Pull  off  the  shoes  and  apply 
poultices,  or  wrap  the  feet  well  with  cloths  wet  in  cold 
water.  Induce  the  horse  to  lie  down,  if  possible.  Give 
saltpeter  internally  in  ounce  doses  dissolved  in  water 
as  a  drench  three  times  daih^  Give  mashes  to  loosen 
the  bowels.  For  chronic  sore  feet,  a  bar  shoe  with  a 
rubber  cushion  between  frog  and  shoe,  gives  relief. 
Page  93. 

Lice.  Insect  powder  dusted  in  the  hair  or  feathers. 
Kerosene  emulsion,  or  a  solution  of  creolin  one  part  to 
fifty  parts  of  water.  Give  salt  and  sulfur  to  the  animal 
to  lick.  Feed  well  and  keep  clean.  Clean  and  disinfect 
the  quarters  and  apply  hot  coal-tar  to  cracks,  corners, 
roosts,  etc.     Page  314. 

Lockjaw,  or  Tetanus.  Place  the  horse  in  dark, 
quiet  quarters,  and  do  not  disturb.  Open  and  disinfect 
the  wound.  Use  a  solution  of  one  part  of  glycerin, 
one  part  of  water  and  two  parts  of  pure  carbolic  acid. 
Inject  one  dram  with  a  hypodermic  syringe  every  two 
hours  beneath  the  skin  of  the  neck  or  shoulders  for 
forty -eight  hours,  then  once  in  four  hours.  Do  not 
drench.  Give  milk  and  gruels,  with  raw  eggs,  to  drink. 
Page  291. 

Maggots.     Clean  the  wound  and  remove  all  scabs 


446  The    Care    of  Animals 

and  dead  tissue.  Apply  pure  creolin.  Kerosene  is 
also  good.     Page  328. 

Milk  Fever.  Get  cow  into  comfortable  quarters  and 
keep  her  propped  up  on  her  brisket.  If  cow  can  swallow 
well,  give  a  small  dose  of  salts  as  a  drench.  Give  the 
Schmidt  treatment.  Dash  cold  water  on  the  cow,  rub 
briskly  and  blanket  warmly.  Give  enemas  to  empty  the 
bowels.     Do  not  drench  with  medicines.     Page  212. 

Poisoning.  If  there  is  irritation  of  the  bowels,  give 
raw  linseed -oil.  If  there  is  weakness,  give  stimulants, 
and  when  there  is  pain  or  convulsions,  give  laudanum 
or  vapor  of  ether  inhaled,  to  quiet.     Page  417. 

Punctures  of  Foot.  If  pus  has  formed,  cut  away 
the  hoof  and  open  freely  and  inject  antiseptics.  Keep 
foot  clean  and  dry.  Protect  with  a  bar  shoe  as  it  heals. 
Page  100. 

Quarter  Crack.  Draw  the  crack  together  with  nails 
and  clinch.  Apply  tar  to  keep  out  the  dirt.  Blister 
the  coronet  lightly.     Page  101. 

Rabies,  Hydrophobia.  Destroy  the  animal.  Per- 
sons should  take  the  Pasteur  treatment.     Page  367. 

Ring-bone.     Fire,  blister  and  give  rest.    Page  231. 

Ring-worm.  Iodine  either  as  tincture  or  ointment. 
Turpentine  or  pure  creolin.     Page  313. 

Scouring.  Give  a  dose  of  castor-  or  linseed-oil,  fol- 
lowed by  laudanum  in  doses  of  a  teaspoonful  to  calves 
to  an  ounce  for  a  horse  and  two  ounces  for  large  cattle. 
Jamaica  ginger  in  hot  water.  Dilute  calves'  milk  with 
one -fourth  limewater.  Dried  blood,  in  teaspoonful 
doses,  is  good.  Look  for  the  cause  of  the  trouble  and 
remove   it.     Page   273. 


Brief  Advice  447 

Scratches.  Clip  the  hair,  poultice,  clean  well  and 
apply  white  lotion,  then  oil  or  vaseline.  Carbolic  acid, 
one  part  in  twenty  parts  of  linseed -oil.  Keep  parts 
clean,  dry  and  well  oiled.  If  bad,  cauterize  after 
poulticing.     Page    301. 

Sore  Mouth.  Swab  out  the  mouth  with  the  same 
solution  as  for  sore  throat.    Give  soft  foods.     Page  246. 

Sore  Throat.  Give  gruels  and  soft  foods.  With  a 
syringe,  force  half  an  ounce  of  the  following  solution 
iuto  the  back  part  of  the  mouth  every  four  hours  : 
Tincture-  of  iron,  one  ounce  ;  water,  one  pint.  Rub  a 
stimulating  liniment  on  the  outside  of  the  throat. 
Page    254. 

Splint.  In  most  cases,  let  alone.  Lower  the  inside 
quarter  to  take  the  weight  off  splint.  Put  a  light 
blister  over  the  part.     Page  233. 

Sprains.  Bathe  the  part  with  hot  water,  to  relieve 
the  inflammation.  Applications  of  cold  water  are  good. 
After  the  inflammation  has  subsided  apply  liniments. 
If  lameness  continues,  blister  lightly.     Page  238. 

Stifle.  Replace  stifle  by  putting  a  strap  around 
fetlock,  draw  the  leg  forward  and  push  bone  into  place. 
Blister  the  part.  Keep  the  leg  forward  and  the  horse 
standing  for  forty -eight  hours.     Page  235. 

Stomach  Staggers.  Let  the  horse  rest.  Give  a 
ball  of  aloes,  to  empty  the  bowels.  Diet  the  horse,  and 
do  not  drive  rapidly  soon  after  feeding,  while  the  stom- 
ach is  filled  with  food.  See  that  the  harness  does  not 
interfere  with  the  breathing  or  circulation  of  blood  to 
the  head.     Page  258. 

Sunstroke.     Get  the   animal    into  the    shade,   dash 


448  The    Care    of  Animals 

cold  water  on  the  head  or  apply  cracked  ice  to  the  poll. 
Loosen  the  harness  and  give  plenty  of  fresh  air.  If 
there  is  much  depression,  with  a  weak,  thready  or  irreg- 
ular pulse,  give  stimulants,  as  whiskey  in  four-ounce 
doses  well  diluted  with  water.     Page  297. 

Swollen  Legs.  Give  a  purge  to  empty  the  bowels, 
and  ounce  doses  of  saltpeter  to  adult  horses  once  daily 
for  three  days  to  stimulate  the  kidneys.  Allow  moderate 
exercise.     Page  406. 

Tetanus.     See  Lockjaw. 

Texas  Fever.  Keep  susceptible  cattle  from  tick- 
infested  ground.  Remove  ticks  from  susceptible  ani- 
mals. Give  laxative  food,  such  as  green  corn  and 
sweet  milk.     Page  370. 

Ticks.  Keep  cattle  off  infected  ground.  Scrape  off 
ticks  with  dull  knife.  Grease  with  carbolized  lard, 
vaseline  or  crude  petroleum.  Use  Christian's  dip. 
Page  386. 

Thoroughpin.  Wind -puffs.  Treat  same  as  bog 
spavin.     Page  239. 

Wolf  Teeth.     Extract  with  forceps.     Page  251. 

Wounds.  Stop  the  bleeding  and  close  the  wound 
by  stitches,  with  plasters  or  by  means  of  a  bandage. 
First  remove  all  foreign  bodies  from  the  wound,  and 
treat  with  antiseptics.  Wash  daily  and  use  antiseptics, 
but  do  not  disturb  more  than  necessary.  If  proud-flesh 
forms,  use  a  caustic  to  burn  it  out ;  when  there  is 
much  discharge  from  the  surface,  use  a  healing  pow- 
der of  one  part  tannic  acid  to  eight  parts  pulverized 
air-slaked  lime.     Page  158. 


INDEX 


Abortion,  brief  advice,  440;  causes  of, 

199;  contagious,  374. 
Abscesses,  166  ;  brief  advice,  440. 
Absorbent  cotton  for  bleeding,  161. 
Absorbing  ointment,  437. 
Acetic  acid,  430. 
Acid,  carbolic,  153. 
Aconite,  doses  of,  430. 
Actinomycosis,  412. 
Acute  abscesses,  166. 
Afterbirth,  removal  of,  206;  retained, 

brief  advice,  440. 
Age  of  cattle,  58;  of  horse,  51;  shown 

by  teeth,  53. 
Air-slaked  lime,  155. 
Alcohol,  doses  of,  430. 
Aloes,  doses  of,  430. 
Altered  milk  secretion,  209. 
Altering  animals,  181. 
Alum,  burnt.  430:  doses  of,  430. 
Ammonia,  doses  of,  430. 
Anesthetics,  149. 
Animal  body,  structure  of,  108. 
Anthrax.  360;  brief  advice.  441. 
Antimony,  butter  of,  431. 
Antiseptics,  151. 
Antitoxin,  355. 
Apoplexy,  297. 
Appearance  in  disease.  115. 
Arsenic,  doses  of,  431;    poisoning  by, 

417. 
Arnica,  doses  of,  431. 
Asafcptida,  doses  of,  431. 
Astragalus  mollissinms ,  407. 
Azoturia,  399. 


Bacillus     mallei,    356  ;      tuberculosis, 
378. 


Back,  teaching  colt  to,  82. 

Bacteria,  355. 

Balking,  83. 

Ball,  giving,  132;  purging,  4x0. 

Bandages,  124. 

Bang  method  for  tuberculosis,  383. 

Barb-wire  cuts,  161. 

Barrenness,  194. 

Bedding,  25;  arrangement  of,  25;  care 
of,  25;  kinds  of,  25;  removal  of,  123. 

Belladonna,  doses  of,  431. 

Belly,  examination  of,  69. 

Bichlorid  of  mercury,  152. 

Big-head,  226. 

Big-jaw  of  cattle,  412. 

Big-knee  in  horses,  233. 

Big-leg,  406. 

Birth,  signs  of,  200. 

Bishoping,  57. 

Bits,  for  colts,  80. 

Bit,  pulling  on,  86. 

Bitches,  disadvantage  of,  32;  period  of 
heat  in, 193;  spayed, 32. 

Bitter  milk,  209. 

Bitting  bridle,  79. 

Blackhead,  397. 

Blackleg,  362;  brief  advice,  441;  vacci- 
nation for,  364. 

Black  tongue,  247. 

Black  quarter,  362. 

Bladder,  stone  in,  402. 

Blankets,  12,  124. 

Bleeding  for  disease,  108. 

Bleeding,  treatment  for,  159. 

Blisters,  139  ;  how  to  apply,  139  ;  "fly," 
437;  red,  438. 

Bloating,  brief  advice,  441 ;  in  cattle, 
260. 


cc 


(449) 


450 


Index 


Blood-poisoning  in  colts,  216. 

Blood-worms  of  horse,  339. 

Bloody  milk,  209. 

Bloody  urine  in  cattle,  370. 

Bloody  urine  in  horses,  399. 

Bloody  water,  399. 

Bluestone,  153;  doses  of,  431. 

Bog  spavin,  238;  brief  advice,  441. 

Bolting  food,  8. 

Bones,  brittle,  225;  broken,  217. 

Bony  enlargements,  226. 

Bone  spavin,  227;  brief  advice,  441. 

Bone,  ulceration  of,  223. 

Boophilus  annulatua,  336,  370. 

Boric  acid,  154;  uses  of,  431. 

Bots  in  cattle,  333;    in  horses,  331;  in 

sheep,  334. 
Box  stall,  122. 
Brands,  on  neck,  67. 
Brandy,  doses  of,  430. 
Breaking-cart,  81. 
Breaking  colts.  78;  puppies,  35. 
Breathing,  abnormal,  113. 
Breeding  rabbits,  45;    young  animals, 

197. 
Bridle,  blind,  79;  open,  79. 
Broken  down,  242. 
Broken  wind,  287. 
Bronchitis,  280;  brief  advice,  441. 
Brushes,  for  grooming,  21. 
Bulky  food,  6. 
Bull  neck,  60. 
Bullet  eyes,  60. 
Bunches,  brief  advice,  442. 
Burns  and  scalds,  brief  advice,  442. 
Butter  of  antimony,  431. 

Caked  bag,  210. 

Caked  udder,  brief  advice,  442. 

Calomel,  doses  of,  431. 

Camphor,  spirits  of,  doses,  435. 

Cancer,  171,  305;  brief  advice,  305x 

Cantharides,  435. 

Caponizing,  187. 

Capped  elbow,  172. 

Capped  knee,  176. 


Capped  hock,  174. 

Carbolic  acid,  for  wounds,  153;  strength 

of,  432. 
Care  animals  need,  16;  of  swine,  26;  of 

young  animals,  215. 
Cars,  bedding  for,  73;    ventilation  of, 

73. 
Castor  oil,  doses  of.  432. 
Casting  horses,  146. 
Castration,  181;  reasons  for,  182;  meth 

ods  of,  183. 
Catarrh,  278;  acute,  278;  chronic,  279. 
Catarrhal  conjunctivitis,  310. 
Catching  diseases,  354. 
Cats,  36;  food  for,  40. 
Cattle,  age  of,  58;    bots,  333;    drench- 
ing, 130;  itch,  322;  scab,  318;  teeth 
of,  57;   ticks,  336. 
Cattle,  special  diseases  of, — 

Abortion,  374, 

Actinomycosis,  412, 

Big-jaw.  412. 

Blackleg,  362. 

Black  quarter,  362. 

Bloating,  260. 

Bots,  333. 

Caked  bag,  210. 

Choking,  255. 

Contagious  abortion,  374. 

Contagious  pleuro-pneumonia,  286. 

Cornstalk  disease,  410. 

Cowpox,  385. 

Foot-and-mouth  disease,  376. 

Fowls,  303. 

Garget,  210. 

Horn-fly,  330. 

Hoven,  260. 

Impaction  of  rumen,  259. 

Lead  poisoning,  426. 

Mammitis,  210. 

Milk  fever,  212. 

Parturient  apoplexy,  212. 

Pleiiro-pneumonia,  286. 

Quarter  ill,  362. 

Scab,  318,  322. 

Sore  mouth,  246. 


Index 


451 


Cattle,  special  diseases  of,— 

Southern  fever,  370. 

Stone  in  the  bladder,  402. 

Texas  fever,  370. 

Tick  fever,  370. 

Town-cow  disease,  371. 

Tuberculosis,  378. 
Cavies,  46. 

Cement  floors  for  swine,  27. 
Certificate  of  soundness,  71. 
Change  of  food,  7. 
Charbon,  360. 
Charcoal,  doses  of,  432. 
Chickens,  broken  bones  in,  222;  cholera, 

395;  see,  also,  Fowls. 
Chloroform,  432. 
Chokine,  255;  brief  advice,  442. 
Chorea,  294. 

Oladothrix  actinomyces,  413. 
Clean  stables,  3. 
Cleaning  wounds,  161. 
Clipping  horses,  23. 
Cockleburr  poisoning,  419. 
Ooenurus  cerebralis,  340. 
Coffin-joint  lameness,  95. 
Cold  abscesses,  166. 
Cold  applications,  144. 
Cold  water  for  bleeding,  161. 
Colic,  in  horses,  266;  brief  advice,  442; 
cramp,    266;    flatulent,    267;     mix- 
ture, 437. 
Collar,  for  dogs,  36. 
Color  of  horses,  58. 
Colts'  feet,  care  of,  106. 
Colt  ill,  216. 

Combs,  for  grooming,  22. 
Compsomyia  macellaria,  329. 
Concretions,  intestinal,  270. 
Confining  animals,  144. 
Congestion,  156;  of  lungs,  282. 
Constipation,  275;  brief  advice,  442. 
Contagious    diseases,    354;     abortion, 

374;  pleuro-pneumonia,  286. 
Copperas,  doses  of,  432. 
Copper  sulfate,  153;  doses  of,  431. 
Corns,  97;  brief  advice,  442. 


Cornstalk  disease,  410. 

Corn  smut,  6. 

Corrals,  for  animals,  28. 

Corrosive    sublimate,   antiseptic,    152; 

uses  of,  432. 
Cottonseed  meal  poisoning,  425. 
Cough  mixture,  438. 
Coughing,  113. 
Counter  irritants,  138. 
Cow  fasteners,  20. 
Cow,  period  of  heat  in,  193;   pulse  of, 

111;  temperature  of,  112. 
Cowpox,  385. 
Cow  stables,  19;  stalls,  construction  of, 

20;   Stalls,  size  of,  20. 
Cracked  hoofs,  lOl. 
Cramp  colic,  266. 
Creolin,  155,  432. 
Cribbing,  66,  251. 
Crop-bound,  276. 
Cross-matched  horses,  59. 
Curb,  241;  brief  advice,  443. 
Curry-comb,  22. 
Cuts,  wire.  161. 

Date  cavity,  55. 
Dehorning,  179. 
Dental  star,  56. 
Destroying  carcasses,  151. 
Diarrhea,  273, 

Digestive  system,  description  of,  244. 
Dips,  for  cattle,  325;   for  sheep,  320. 
Dirty  hay,  426. 
Dish-faced,  60. 
Disinfection,  73,  150. 
Dislocations,  234;  of  neck,  237. 
Distoma  hepaticum,  338. 
Docking  horses,  181. 
Docking  lambs,  181. 
Dogs,    31;     breaking,     35;     drenching, 
130;  distemper,   386;  food  for,   34; 
pulse  of.  111;  temperature  of,  112. 
Dogs,  special  diseases  of— 

Chorea,  294. 

Distemper,  386. 

Ectropium,  308. 


452 


Index 


Dogs,  special  diseases  of,— 

Hydrophobia,  367. 

Rabies,  367. 
Doses  of  medicine,  428;  regulation  of, 

137. 
Drainage  of  stables,  21. 
Drenching,  128. 
Dropsy,  405. 
Drunk  on  apples,  443. 
Dry  food,  for  work  animals,  8. 
Drying  powder,  438. 
Dummies,  291. 
Dysentery,  273. 
Dystokia,  202. 

Eetropium,  308. 

Eczema,  300. 

Embryotomy,  204. 

Enemas,  136. 

Enteritis,  271. 

Epilepsy,  296. 

Epsom  salts,  doses,  433. 

Ergotism,  422. 

Erysipelas,  306. 

Ether,  sulfuric,  433. 

Eversion  of  uterus,  brief  advice,  443; 

of  vagina,  208;  of  womb,  207. 
Ewe  neck,  60. 
Ewe,    temperature  of,   112;    period  of 

heat  in,  193. 
Examination  for  soundness,  64. 
Excretions,  114. 
Exercise  for  animals,  11. 
Exostoses,  226. 
External  medication,  135. 
Eye,  diseases  of,  307;  examination  of, 

66;  inflammation  of,  308;  worm  in, 

311. 

Farcy,  358. 

Feed-boxes,  17. 

Feeding  animals,  separate,  4. 

Feeding  calves,  5. 

Feeding,  regular,  5. 

Feeding  when  tired,  4. 

Feet,  care  of,  24. 


Fever,  112. 

Fever  thermometer,  112. 

Fillaria  papillosa,  311. 

Firing,  141. 

Fistulas,  168. 

Fistulous  withers,  170. 

Fits,  296. 

Fitting  shoes.  105. 

Flatulent  colic,  267. 

Fleas,  318,  443. 

Flies.  327. 

Flukes,  liver,  338. 

Fly-nets,  13. 

Fomentations,  142. 

Food  for  pets,  31;  for  sick  animals,  127; 

change  of,  7. 
Foot,  examination  of,  68;  puncture  of 

sole,  100. 
Foot-and-mouth  disease,  376. 
Fouls,  in  cattle,  303;  brief  advice,  443. 
Foul- sheath,  403. 
Founder,  93. 

Fowl  cholera,  cause  of,  395. 
Fowls,  special  diseases  of — 

Black-head,  397. 

Cholera,  395. 

Crop-bound,  276. 

Gapes,  350. 

Roup,  397. 
Fowler's  solution  of  arsenic,  431. 
Fractures,  217;  brief  advice,  443. 
Full  mouth,  54. 

Galls,  brief  advice,  443. 
Gapes,  in  fowls,  350. 
Garget,  210. 
Gastrophilus  egui,  331. 
Generative  organs,  192. 
Gentian  root,  doses  of,  432. 
Germs  of  disease,  354. 
Gestation,  period  of,  200. 
Gid,  in  sheep,  340. 
Ginger,  Jamaica,  doses  of,  433. 
Giving  medicine,  128. 
Glanders,  356;  brief  advice,  444. 
Glauber's  salts,  dose  of,  433. 


Index 


453 


Glycerine,  433. 
Gorging  with  grain,  263. 
Granulating  wounds,  164. 
"Grapes,"  302. 
Gravel,  99. 
Grease  heel,  301. 
Green  horses.  74. 
Grooming,  21,  128. 
Grub  in  the  head,  334. 
Guinea  pigs,  46. 
Gut-tie.  271. 

Hcematobia  serrata,  330, 

Hair  balls,  270. 

Halters,  19. 

Halter-pulling,  65.  85. 

Hares,  43. 

Harnessing  horses,  77. 

Hay,  dirty,  426;  moldy,  425. 

Healing  powders,  438;  remedies,  151. 

Heat  exhaustion.  297. 

Heat,  periods  of,  193. 

Heaves,  287;  brief  advice,  444. 

Hernia,  177. 

Hidebound,  6;  treatment  for,  299. 

Hip-joint  lameness,  90. 

Hipped,  223;  appearance  of,  70. 

Hitching  in  shafts,  77. 

Hock,  examination  of,  69. 

Hog.    See,  also.  Swine. 

Hog  cholera,  388. 

Hogs,  holding,  148. 

Hoof-cracks,  101. 

Hoof-dressing,  95. 

Hooks,  308. 

Horn-fly,  330. 

Horns,  rings  on,  58. 

Horse,  age  of,  51. 

Horse,  special  diseases  of— 

Azoturia,  399. 

Big-head,  226. 

Big-knee,  233, 

Big-leg,  406. 

Blood-poisoning,  216. 

Blood-worms,  339. 

Bloody  water,  399. 


Bone  spavin,  227. 

Bots,  331. 

Bowels,  obstruction  of,  269. 

Breaking-down,  242. 

Broken-wind,  287,  288. 

Capped  elbow,  172. 

Capped  hock,  174, 

Capped  knees,  176. 

Choking,  255. 

Chorea,  294, 

Coffin- joint  lameness,  95, 

Colic,  266. 

Conjunctivitis,  310. 

Corns.  97. 

Cracked  hoofs,  101. 

Cribbing,  251. 

Curb,  241. 

Dropsy,  405. 

Dummies,  291. 

Ectropium,  308. 

Eczema,  300. 

Emphysema,  277. 

Epilepsy,  296. 

Erysipelas,  306, 

Farcy.  356. 

Fistulous  withers,  170, 

Fits,  296. 

Foot,  wounds  of,  100, 

Founder,  93. 

Glanders,  356. 

"Grapes,"  302. 

Gravel  and  stone,  99,  402, 

Grease-heel,  301. 

Heat  exhaustion,  297. 

Heaves,  287, 

Hernia,  177. 

Hidebound,  299. 

Hipped,  223. 

Hoofs,  cracked,  101. 

Indigestion,  264. 

Inflammation  of  skin,  300. 

Jack  spavin,  227. 

Knee-sprung,  242, 

Knuckling,  235. 

Lameness,  88, 

Laminitis,  93. 


454 


Index 


Horses,  special  diseases  of — 
Lock-jaw,  291. 
Lymphangitis,  406. 
Mane,  nibbing  of,  306. 
Melanotic  tumors,  305. 
Milk  leg,  406. 
Moon  blindness,  309. 
Mud  fever,  301. 
Obstruction  of  bowels,  269. 
Open  joint,  174. 
Ophthalmia,  309. 
Osteoporosis,  226. 
Pink-eye,  319. 
PoU-evil,  168. 

Pulmonary  emphysema,  277. 
Punctured  wounds,  100. 
Pyemia,  216. 
Quarter-crack,  102. 
Quittor,  99. 

Retention  of  urine,  401. 
Ring-bone,  231. 
Roaring,  287. 
Rubbing  mane  and  tail,  306. 

Scratches,  301. 

Scrotal  hernia,  179. 

Shoe-boil,  172. 

Shoulder  lameness,  91. 

Side-bones,  224. 

Spavin,  227,  238. 

Splint,  233. 

Staggers,  258,  423,  425. 

Stifle,  235. 

Stocks,  stocking,  405. 

Stomach  staggers,  258. 

Stone  in  bladder,  402. 

Stringhalt.  294. 

Sunstroke,  297. 

Sweeney,  91. 

Switching  tail,  177. 

Synovial  capped  hock,  174. 

Tail,  rubbing,  306;  switching,  177. 

Tetanus,  291. 

Thistlelow,  170. 

Thorough-pin,  240. 

Thrush,  100. 

Urine,  retention  of,  401. 


Whistling,  288. 

Wind-puff,  239. 

Wolf-teeth,  251. 

Worm  in  eye,  311. 

Wry  tail,  176. 
Horse,  age  of,  51;  bots,  331;  drenching, 
129;   confining  in  stall,  19;  pulse  of, 
111;  stall,  18;  temperature,  112. 
Hoveu,  260. 
Hydrocephalus,  290. 
Hydrophobia,  367;  brief  advice,  446. 
Hypoderma  lineata,  333. 
Hypodermic  medication,  132. 

Immobility,  294. 

Immunity,  355. 

Impaction  of  rumen,  259;  brief  advice, 

444. 
Impotence,  194. 
Indigestion,  brief  advice,  444;    horses, 

264. 
Infectious  diseases,  354;  pneumonia, 286. 
Inflammation,  156. 
Inflammation    of    bowels,    271  ;    brief 

advice,  444;    of  eye,  brief   advice, 

444;  of  lungs,  283;  of  skin,  300. 
Injections,  136. 

Instruments  for  castrating,  184. 
Interfering,  107. 

Intestines,  color  after  death,  119. 
Intestinal  worms,  341. 
Intussusception,  271. 
Iodine,  tincture  of,  433. 
lodiform,  154. 
lodism,  414. 
Iron, tincture  of.  436. 
Itch,  range,  322. 

Keeping  medicines,  137. 

Kerosene,  433. 

Kicking  strap,  81. 

Kittens,  care  of,  38. 

Knee,  enlarged,  223;    examination  of, 

68;  scars,  68. 
Knee-sprung,  242. 
Knuckling,  235;  brief  advice,  445. 


Index 


455 


Labor,  201. 

Lameness,  88;  testing  for,  70. 

Laminitis,  93;  brief  advice,  445. 

Lard,  doses  of,  433. 

Laudanum,  doses  of,  434. 

Lead  acetate,  435. 

Lead  poisoning,  426. 

Leading  colts.  78;  horses,  77. 

Leveling,  foot,  25. 

Lice,  314;   brief  advice,  445. 

Light  for  buildings,  2;    in   sick   stall. 

123;  for  stalls,  17. 
Lime  water,  doses  of,  434. 
Line-firing,  141. 
Lines,  position  of.  78. 
Liniments,   uses   of,   135  ;     recipe  for, 

439. 
Linseed-oil,  doses  of,  434. 
Liver  flukes.  338. 
Lock-javf,  291;  brief  advice,  445. 
Loco  disease,  407. 

Lotions,  135;  soothing,  438;  white,  439. 
Lump-jaw,  412. 
Lungs,  congestion  of,  282;  fever,  283; 

inflammation  of,  283. 
Lung- worms,  348. 
Lymphangitis,  406. 

Mad  dog,  368. 

Maggots,  328;  brief  advice,  445. 

Mallein  test,  359. 

Mallenders,  301. 

Mammitis,  210. 

Mane,  care  of,  22;  rubbing  of,  306. 

Mange.  326. 

Mangers  for  cows,  20. 

Mare,  period  of  heat  in,  193. 

Market,  fitting  horces  for,  71. 

Matched  horses,  58. 

Measles  in  meat,  342,  351. 

Meat,  examination  for  trichinas,  353. 

Medicines,  common,  430;  doses  of,  428. 

Melanotic  tumors,  305. 

Mercury  bichlorid,  432. 

Milk,  bloody,  209. 

Milk  fever,  212;  brief  advice,  446. 


Milk  for  pets,  31. 

Milk  teeth  of  horse,  52. 

Milking  tubes,  212. 

Molars  of  horse,  51. 

Moldy  corn  poisoning,  422;    hay,  425; 

oats,  425;  silage,  424. 
Moon  blindness,  309. 
Mouth,  examination  of,  66. 
Mucous  membrane,  appearance  of,  114'. 
Mud  fever,  301. 
Mustard,  434. 
Mustard  plasters,  141. 

Navicular  disease.  95. 

Neck,  dislocation  of,  237;  examination 

of,  67;  straps,  76. 
Nerving,  oper.ation  for,  96;  signs  of,  68. 
Nervous  diseases,  290. 
Neurotomy,  operation  for,  96, 
Niter,  spirits  of,  436. 
Nitrate  of  potash,  doses,  435. 
Nits,  destruction  of,  316. 
Nostril,  examination  of,  65. 
Nux  vomica,  doses  of,  434. 
Nymphomania,  195. 

Oak  bark,  434. 

Oats,  moldy,  425. 

Obstruction  of  bowels,  269. 

(Estris  ovis,  334. 

Open  bridles.  79. 

Open-joint.  174. 

Opening    abscesses,    167  ;    the    womb, 

196. 
Ophthalmia,    periodic,    309  ;      simple, 

308. 
Organs,  appearance  after  death,  119. 
Ossification  of  cartilage,  225. 
Osteoporosis,  226. 
Overfeeding,   3. 
Overreaching,  107  . 
Oxide  of  zinc,  ointment,  439. 
Oxytropis  Lambertii,  407. 

Paralysis.  298;  of  penis.  404. 
Parasites,  312. 


456 


Index 


Paring  the  feet,  24. 

Parotiditis,  252. 

Parrot  moutli,  248. 

Parturient  apoplexy,  212, 

Parturition,  signs  of,  200. 

Peppermint,  doses  of,  435. 

Period  of  pregnancy,  200. 

Periodic  ophthalmia,  309. 

Pets,  essentials  for,  30;    selection  of, 

30. 
Pigs,  drenching,  130;  see,  also,  Hog  and 

Sivine. 
Pink-eye,  310. 
Placenta,  removal  of,  206  ;    rupturing, 

205. 
Plaster-of-Paris  splint,  220. 
Pleuropneumonia,  contagious,  286. 
Pneumonia,  283;  infectious,  286. 
Points  in  horse-judging.  59. 
Poisoning,  brief  advice,  446. 
Poisoning  by  lead,  426. 
Poisoning,  malicious,  417. 
Poisonous  foods,  420. 
Poisonous  plants,  419. 
Poll-evil,  168. 

Post-mortem  examination,  117. 
Poultices,  135. 

Precautions  in  drenching,  130. 
Pregnancy,  signs  of,  198. 
Prescriptions,  common,  437;   symbols, 

429. 
Protection  for  animals,  12. 
Proud  flesh.  164. 
Prunus  serotina,  419. 
Psoroptes  communis,  319,  322. 
Pulling  on  bit,  86. 
Pulmonary  emphysema,  287. 
Pulse,  110. 
Puncture -firing,    141;    of    foot,    brief 

advice,  446;  wounds  of  foot,  100. 
Puppies,  33;  see,  also.  Dog. 
Purging  ball,  440. 
Pus  in  wounds,  164. 
Pyrosoma  bigeminum,  370. 

Quarantine,  28. 


Quarter-crack,  102;  brief  advice,  446. 
Quarters  for  rabbits,  45;  for  stock,  2. 
Quinine,  doses  of,  435. 
Quittor,  99. 

Rabbits,  43, 

Rabies,  367. 

Range  itch,  322. 

Rearing,  85. 

Red  water,   in  cattle,  370;    in  horses, 

399. 
Removing  stitches,  165. 
Respiration,  113. 
Retention  of  placenta,  206;    of  urine, 

401. 
Rheumatism,  415. 
Ridgling,  castration,  186 
Ring-bone,  231;  brief  advice,  446. 
Ring- worm,  313;  brief  advice,  446. 
Roach  back,  60. 
Roaring.  288. 
Roup,  397. 

Rubbing-posts  for  swine,  27. 
Rubbing    the    mane,    306  ;     the    tail, 

306. 
Runaway  horses.  86. 
Rupture,  177;  of  vagina,  197;   tendons, 

243." 

Salivary  calculus,  253;  fistula,  66. 

Salivation,  253. 

Sallenders,  301. 

Salt,    antiseptic,    155:     common,    435; 

for  animals,  8;    for  sick   animals, 

128. 
Saltpeter,  doses  of,  435. 
Scab,  of  sheep  and  cattle,  318. 
Scabs  on  wounds,  165. 
Scars,  165. 
Schirrous  cord,  184. 
Schmidt  treatment,  213. 
Sclerostoma  armatum,  340. 
Scouring,  273;  brief  advice,  446. 
Scraping  horses,  23. 
Scratches,  301;  brief  advice,  447. 
Screw-fly,  329. 


Index 


457 


Scrotal  hernia,  179;  operation  for,  186. 
Seasoned  horses,  74. 
Setons,  138. 
Sewing  wounds,  162. 
Sheath,  foul,  403. 

Sheep  bots,  334;  dips,  320;  drenching, 
132;  pulse  of.  111;  scab,  319;  tape- 
worm, 342;  temperature  of,  112. 
Sheep,  special  diseases  of  — 

Anthrax,  360. 

Bots,  334. 

Gid. 340. 

Grub  in  the  head,  334. 

Lung  worms,  348. 

Staggers,  340. 

Sterility,  340. 

Stomach  worms,  346. 

Tape  worms,  341.  * 

Shipping  horses,  72. 
Shoeing,  103. 
Shoes,  resetting,  106. 
Shoe-boil,  172. 
Shoulder,    examination  of,  67;    lame 

ness,  90. 
Sick  animals,  surroundings,  121. 
Side-bones,  224. 
Side-lines,  146. 

Signs    of    age,   in    horse,   51;    of  preg- 
nancy, 198. 
Simple  ophthalmia,  308. 
Skin,  inflammation  of,  300. 
Slings,  126. 
Slobbering,  253. 
Snoring,  113. 
Soaking  tub,  144. 
Softening  of  bone.  224, 
Sore  mouth,  brief  advice,  447. 
Soot  balls,  67. 
Soothing  lotion,  438. 
Sore  ears,  in  cats,  42;  feet  of  cattle, 
303;  mouth,  246;  mouth  of   cattle, 
infectious.  246;  throat,  254;  throat, 
brief  advice,  447. 
Soundness,   certificates   of,   71;    exam- 
ination for,  64. 
Southern  cattle  fever,  370. 


Sow,  period  of  heat  in,  193. 

Spasmodic  colic,  266. 

Spavin,  bog,  238;  bone,  227. 

Spaying,  188. 

Spayed  bitches,  32. 

Speedy  cuts,  68. 

Splint.  233;  brief  advice  on,  447. 

Splints  for  fractures,  219. 

Sprains.  238;   brief  advice.  447 

Stables  for  cows,  19;  drainage.  21;  fit- 
tings, 17;  vices,  64. 

Staggers  in  sheep.  340. 

Stalls,  separate,  17. 

Stanchions  for  cows.  20. 

Steaming  blankets,  13. 

Sterility,  194. 

Stifle,  235;  brief  advice,  447;  chronic, 
237. 

Stitching  up  wounds,  162. 

Stocks,  144. 

Stocking  of  legs,  405. 

Stomachs  of  cattle,  245. 

Stomach  staggers,  2.58;  brief  advice, 
447. 

Stomach  worms  of  sheep,  346. 

Stone  in  bladder,  402. 

Strangulated  hernia,  178. 

Stringhalt,  294. 

Strongiilus  contortus,  346. 

Strongulus  filaria,  348. 

Style,  in  horses,  59. 

Sugar  of  lead.  435. 

Sulfate  of  copper,  153. 

Sulfate  of  iron,  doses,  432. 

Sulfur,  doses,  436. 

Sunstroke,  297;  brief  advice,  447. 

Supports,  for  sick  animals.  126. 

Surgeon's  knot.  160;  needle,  162;  silk, 
162. 

Surgical  eases,  156. 

Sway  back,  60. 

Sweeney,  91. 

Sweet  spirits  of  niter,  doses,  436. 

Swine.     See,  also,  Hog. 

Swine,  care  of,  26;  plague,  388;  sep- 
arate lots  for,  27. 


458 


Index 


Swine,  special  diseases  of  — 

Cholera,  388. 

Intestinal  worms,  341. 

Lung  worms,  348. 

Scrotal  hernia,  186. 

Swine  plague,  388. 

Trichinae.  352. 
Switching  the  tail  177. 
Swollen  legs,  brief  advice,  448. 
Symptomatic  anthrax,  366. 
Syngamus  trachealis,  350. 
Synovial  capped  hock,  174. 

Tcenia     coenurus,      340  ;      marginata, 

342. 
Taking  up  foot,  145. 
Tail,    care     of,     22  ;      rubbing     the, 

306. 
Tape  worms,  341. 
Tapping  for  bloat,  261. 
Teeth    at   birth,   53;    of    cattle,  57;    of 

horse,    52;    long,  248;    number  in 

horse,  52;  names  of,  52;  ulcerated, 

249. 
Temperature  of  animals,  112. 
Temperature  of  stables,  3. 
Tendons,  rupture  of,  243. 
Tetanus,  291. 

Texas  fever,  370;  brief  advice,  448. 
Texas  itch,  322. 
Thistlelow,  170. 
Throwing  animals,  146. 
Thoroughpiu,  240;  brief  advice,  448. 
Thrush,  100. 
Thumps,  in  pigs,  416. 
Ticks,  336;  brief  advice,  448. 
Tick  fever,  370. 
Tincture     chloride     of      iron,     doses. 

436. 
Tip  shoes,  104. 
Tobacco,  436. 
Tongue,  scars  on,  66. 
Toxin,  355. 
Training  dogs,  35. 
Trichina  spiralis,  352. 
Trinchinae  in  meat,  352. 


Trocar,  for  tapping,  262. 

Tuberculin  test,  382. 

Tuberculosis,  378. 

Tumors,    171;  melanotic,  305;  of  skin, 

304. 
Turpentine,  doses  of,  436. 
Twist,  145. 
Tying     blood  -  vessels,     160 ;      horses, 

76. 
Typhoid  fever,  388. 

Ulceration  of  bone,  223. 

Underfeeding,  6. 

Unsoundness,  62. 

Urinating,  frequent,  404. 

Urinary  calculi,  402. 

Urine,   appearance    of,   115;    color  of, 

120;  retention  of,  401. 
Vaccination    for    anthrax,     262;     for 

blackleg,  264. 
Vaginal  discharge,  206. 
Vaseline,  436. 
Vicious  horses,  82. 
Vinegar,  437. 
Volvulus,  271. 

Warbles,  334. 

Warbleflies,  333. 

Warm  stables,  3. 

Warranty  of  horses,  63. 

Warts,  304. 

Washy  horses,  61. 

Watering  animals,  5. 

Water  for  sick  animals,  127. 

Water  on  brain,  204. 

Weaning  young  animals,  215. 

Whiskey,  doses  of,  430. 

Whistling.  288. 

White  scour,  276. 

White  vitriol.  153. 

Wild  cherry  poisoning,  419. 

Wind  colic,  267. 

Windpufies,  239. 

Wind  sucking,  251. 

Wind,  testing  for,  70. 

Wolf -teeth,  251;  brief  advice,  448. 


Index 


459 


Worm  in  the  eye,  311  ;  intestinal. 
341  ;  tape,  341 ;  treatment  for, 
344. 

Wounds,  158;  brief  advice,  448;  heal- 
ing of,  164. 

Wry  tail,  176. 


Xanthium,  419. 
Yards  for  animals,  28. 


Zinc  oxide  ointment. 
Zinc  sulfate,  153. 


^ 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 
Cummings  School  of  Veterinary  Medicine  at 
Tufts  University 
200  Westboro  Road 
North  Grafton,  MA  01 535 


;^ 


